Research for Evidence Based Practice 

CONCEPTS IN RESEARCH

How do we improve the world around us? How might we improve the practice of nursing and the care we give our patients? Consider how the role of research may answer these two questions. Analyzing, evaluating, and experimenting is the driving force behind research, and research, can be the driving force towards positive change. 

“With the rapid development of medical technology, the intensified severity and complexity of diseases, and emphasis on patient‐centered care, clinical nurses are facing increasingly complex and demanding conditions in the clinical practice” (Chen et al., 2020). Thus, nurses will find themselves with an increased need to utilize research in their practice. As a future DNP-prepared nurse, you will likely find yourself asking questions based on your experiences and observations. These in turn may be used in formulating a research problem and purpose as your first step in answering these questions. This week, you will have the opportunity to practice these skills. You will select a research topic of interest and will develop a problem statement. You will identify your study variables and develop a hypothesis. You will have the opportunity to analyze how this problem statement may impact society or the use of evidence-based research to effect positive nursing practice changes. You will also examine potential ethical considerations in relation to your research problem statement.

Reference: Chen, Q., Liu, D., Zhou, C., & Tang, S. (2020). Relationship between critical thinking disposition and research competence among clinical nurses: A cross‐sectional study.  Journal of Clinical Nursing, 29 (7–8), 1332–1340. doi:10.1111/jocn.15201

· Formulate a research problem statement

· Identify study variables related to a problem statement

· Analyze ethical considerations in relation to research problem statements

· Develop hypotheses related to a problem statement

· Analyze how research problem statements contribute to positive nursing practice changes