Week 4 Discussion: Designs – A Plan to Study for the Truth (graded)
Directions
• Discussions are designed to promote dialogue between faculty and students, and students and their peers. In discussions students:
o Demonstrate understanding of concepts for the week
o Integrate outside scholarly sources when required
o Engage in meaningful dialogue with classmates and/or instructor
o Express opinions clearly and logically, in a professional manner
• Use the rubric on this page as you compose your answers.
• Best Practices include:
o Participation early in the week is encouraged to stimulate meaningful discussion among classmates and instructor.
o Enter the discussion often during the week to read and learn from posts.
o Select different classmates for your reply each week.
Discussion Questions

This week we learned how research designs are different and help us to objectively study nursing problems; the key is to decide which type of research and design will serve the purpose or intent to find a solution. After completing Week 4 readings and lesson, answer the following:
• Reflect on your learning about Quantitative and Qualitative research; share two ways that helped you understand how they are different.
• Choose one category of study design that you found interesting and describe; include what you learned about the design and how you believe it can help study nursing problems.
• Refer back to your clinical nursing priority problem and evidence you located for your week 3 assignment: The nursing-evidenced practice (NEBP) committee has requested for you to make a recommendation to the team: Describe the type of research and the design that you believe would be the best way to study your problem. Discuss your rationale.

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Reflecting on Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Quantitative and qualitative research approaches are distinct in several ways. Two significant differences that helped me understand their distinctiveness are:

Data type: Quantitative research is data-driven and relies on numerical data, while qualitative research is subjective and seeks to understand complex social phenomena through the analysis of non-numerical data, such as interviews, observations, or narratives.

Research design: Quantitative research aims to identify the relationship between variables by using structured instruments such as questionnaires or surveys, whereas qualitative research focuses on the depth of understanding and seeks to explore social phenomena using open-ended questions, interviews, or observations.

An Interesting Category of Study Design

One study design that I find interesting is the mixed-methods design. This design combines both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies to provide a more comprehensive and complete understanding of a particular phenomenon. Mixed-methods design can help researchers to address complex nursing problems by combining the strengths of quantitative and qualitative research. By collecting and analyzing both numerical and non-numerical data, researchers can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the issue under study. Additionally, mixed-methods design can help identify the causal mechanisms that underlie the relationship between variables.

The Best Type of Research Design for my Clinical Nursing Priority Problem

The clinical nursing priority problem I identified in week 3 is the high incidence of patient falls in the hospital setting. Based on my review of the literature, I recommend using a mixed-methods design to study this problem. This design will enable researchers to collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data, which can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the factors that contribute to patient falls. Quantitative data can be collected through the use of structured instruments such as surveys or questionnaires, while qualitative data can be collected through interviews, observations, or narratives. By combining both data types, researchers can identify the underlying causal mechanisms that contribute to the high incidence of patient falls and develop effective interventions to prevent future falls.