Starting the Research Process

Starting the Research Process

Proposed Research Problem Statement

While there is a lack of understanding from parents about the benefits of childhood immunizations, increasing awareness and understanding concerning these immunizations bring about a positive nursing practice change.

Study Variables

1. Independent variable:  Increasing awareness and understanding of childhood immunizations.
2. Dependent variable: Understanding of parents about the benefits of childhood immunizations.

Hypotheses

1. Increasing awareness increases parents understanding of the benefits of childhood immunizations.
2. Increasing awareness of childhood immunizations will increase the number of children vaccinated.
3. Children who are vaccinated will have a healthier life than unvaccinated children.
4. Literate parents will be more likely to take their children for immunization than illiterate parents.

Ethical Issues of Considerations

 Ethics is a critical issue of concern when conducting healthcare research. They determine the choice and actions of the researcher. Nursing research should protect the moral values, beliefs, dignity of participants and the information published in the research (Gray & Grove, 2020). The first ethical issue of my consideration is informed consent. In collecting my data on the creation of awareness of childhood immunizations, I should seek the informed consent of study participants. It is a way of complying with the autonomy of the participants. The rights and freedoms of autonomous parents and children should be included. The veracity, personality and integrity of the participants should be protected from abuses or intimidations (Williams & Pigeot, 2017). Nursing research participants should participate willingly, knowingly and not forced to participate in any means.

The informed consent should clearly explain the merits and demerits of participating in clinical research. The consent will highlight the purpose of the study, associated benefits and criteria for selecting research participants. The privacy of the participant that will be invaded will be identified so that the individuals involved may decide to participate or not. The expected compensation in case the consent is compromised should be clearly stated. The researcher should take into consideration literacy level, childless parents and cultural barriers (Williams & Pigeot, 2017). For illiterate parents, a simple language that is understood will be used. Consent should protect the dignity of the parents without children. Polite language can be used to engage them without harming their emotions. In some cultures, childhood immunizations are not practised. The researcher should be culturally competent to know how to handle the norms, beliefs and stereotypes of such participants. Effective communication techniques will play a critical role when researching in a society with a diverse culture. The consent of the participants should always prevail over the interests of the researcher (Williams & Pigeot, 2017). Informed consent is an ethical issue that should be keenly evaluated in nursing research.

The second ethical issue of consideration is confidentiality. The researcher should address the anonymity and confidentiality of the research. Personally identifiable data should be protected from unauthorized third parties (Williams & Pigeot, 2017). It is essential in protecting the identity of the subjects. It is the right of the participant to give personally identifiable information they wish to give or not to give without being forced to open up (Williams & Pigeot, 2017). Ethical dilemmas may also arise when the researcher may be forced to report private information before judicial and criminal investigations departments. Personal ethos and moral responsibilities are greater than legal requirements; hence there are no clear guidelines on what the researcher should do if such cases arise. For vulnerable groups, the researcher will use the Certificate of Confidentiality given by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) (Williams & Pigeot, 2017). It helps in protecting the confidentiality of the participant in cases where the researcher is required to testify before a court of law. Social and psychological implications that may complicate confidentiality should be identified and how they will be solved.

Childhood Immunization as a Positive Nursing Practice Change

Promoting childhood immunizations is a positive nursing practice change. Childhood vaccines are administered to children to prevent them from communicable diseases. Vaccines stimulate the immune system and prepare them to respond to the disease vaccinated against faster and effective in case of an outbreak or infection (Dharmalingam et al., 2017). If a future attack by the pathogen occurs the immune systems knows how to act. The vaccines have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration board (FDA), to be safe to protect the younger patients from infectious diseases. Children have low immunity because their immunity is developing hence the need to protect them from a disease that may affect the quality of their life. Healthcare providers must play in sensitizing to parents why childhood immunizations are requirements. Some parents are not aware of the benefits of vaccinating children and they are reluctant on taking their children for immunization. Lack of knowledge is a barrier that should be addressed to ensure universal childhood vaccinations and zero deaths from childhood diseases (Sarvesh & Brundha, 2018). Increasing awareness can play a critical role in promoting vaccinations and breaking the barriers affecting immunizations. Nurses should be culturally competent in promoting health to patients from diverse cultures (Sarvesh & Brundha, 2018). Childhood immunization plays a critical role in promoting herd immunity. When many children are vaccinated against communicable diseases, the diseases will not be transmitted easily. Vaccination awareness should be promoted to increase understanding of the benefits of childhood vaccinations to parents to ensure more children are immunized.

References

Dharmalingam, A., Raghupathy, N. S., Sowmiya, M., Amudharaj, D., & Jehangir, H. M. (2017). Immunization knowledge, attitude and practice among mothers of children from 0 to 5 years. International Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics, 4(3), 783-789.

Gray, J.R., & Grove, S. K., (2020). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence. (9^th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.

Sarvesh Kumar, J., & Brundha, M. P. (2018). Awareness about childhood vaccination among parents with children below 15 years of age. Drug Invention Today, 10(12).

Williams, G., & Pigeot, I. (2017). Consent and confidentiality in the light of recent demands for data sharing. Biometrical journal, 59(2), 240-250.

Formulating a specific, applicable research problem statement is an important step in beginning a research process. The problem statement defines the focus of the research study, dictates what methods and tools will be used, and sets the stage for all subsequent elements of the research process. Because of this, it is necessary to put a great deal of thought into the problem statement to ensure that the rest of the research process will be well planned and appropriate to the problem at hand.

This week’s Discussion asks you to identify evidence-based practice problems that can be addressed using quantitative research methods. Based on the practice problem you select, formulate a quantitative research problem statement. In this Discussion, you are also given the opportunity to evaluate your colleagues’ problem statements. Please refer to this week’s Learning Resources for appropriate and scholarly examples of research problem statements and how they inform the rest of the research process.

To prepare:

• Determine      a nursing practice problem that is of interest to you and that is      appropriate for a quantitative research study. Note: You      will continue to use this problem in the Discussions over the next several      weeks.
• Using      the Walden Library and other credible sources, locate and read two or      three articles that address your practice problem. (you must      cite the articles read in this assignment)
• With      your practice problem in mind, review the Learning Resources and media      presentations focusing on the strategies presented for generating a      research problem statement.
• Ask      yourself: What is the importance of my practice problem to nursing,      research, and theory? How might addressing this problem bring about      positive social change? How will investigating this problem support      evidence-based practice?

By Tomorrow 09/06/17, write a minimum of 550 words in APA format with a minimum of 3 references from the list below which include the level one headings as numbered below: 

Post

1) A proposed research problem statement (it has to be related to nursing for example: could be on diabetes, heart failure or more …)

2) Including sufficient information to make your focus clear and explaining how addressing this problem may bring about positive social change.

Required Media

Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2011). Research methods for evidence-based practice: Selecting a research topic and developing a hypothesis. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 13 minutes.

In this week’s video, Dr. Leiyu Shi discusses the characteristics of a good research hypothesis and details the steps in developing a hypothesis that can be tested through research.

Laureate Education. (2011). Important events in clinical research history. Retrieved from http://mym.cdn.laureate-media.com/2dett4d/Walden/CLRA/6100/01/mm/timeline/index.html

This timeline identifies and describes key historical events related to the development of clinical research throughout the ages.

Required Readings

Gray, J.R., Grove, S.K., & Sutherland, S. (2017). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Saunders Elsevier.

•Chapter 5, “Research Problem and Purpose”

Chapter 5 outlines how to identify and develop a research problem statement, purpose, and research questions. The chapter also provides examples of both quantitative and qualitative research topics, problems, and purpose.

•Chapter 6, “Objectives, Questions, Variables, and Hypothesis”

This chapter explains the different types of hypotheses and assesses how research variables can be used to formulate research objectives in both quantitative and qualitative studies.

•Chapter 10, “Quantitative Methodology: Noninterventional Designs and Methods”

Chapter 10 describes the principles of research design and those foundational concepts that influence the selection of an appropriate quantitative design: causality, bias, manipulation, control, and validity.

•Chapter 11, “Quantitative Methodology: Interventional Designs and Methods”

This chapter builds on the material presented in Chapter 10 and discusses how to select the most appropriate quantitative research design for addressing a particular research problem.

Select one of the following articles to use for this week’s Assignment:

Fouquier, K.F. (2011). The concept of motherhood among three generations of African American women. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(2), 145–153. (See attached files)

Grey, M., Whittemore, R., Jaser, S., Ambrosino, J., Lindemann, E., Liberti, L., Northrup, V., & Dziura, J. (2009). Effects of coping skills training in school-age children with Type 1 diabetes. Research in Nursing & Health, 32, 405–418. (See attached files)

Methey, N.A., Davis-Jackson, J., & Stewart, B.J. (2010). Effectiveness of an aspiration risk-reduction protocol. Nursing Research, 59, 18–25. (See attached files)

Newhouse, R.P., Morlock. L., Pronovost, P., & Breckenridge-Sproat, S. (2011). Rural hospital nursing: Results of a national survey of nurse executives. Journal of Nursing Administration, 41(3), 129–137. (See attached files)

Handouts

Laureate Education. (2011). Litmus test for a doctoral-level research problem. Baltimore, MD: Author.

Optional Resources

Caress, A., Luker, K., & Chalmers, K. (2010). Promoting the health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Patients’ and carers’ views. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 19(3–4), 564–573.

Mbeba, M. M., N., Jere, D. L., Kachingwe, S. I., Crittenden, K. S., McCreary, L. L., … Norr, K. F. (2011). Peer group intervention reduces personal HIV risk for Malawian health workers. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(1), 72–81.

Miller, J., Gaboda, D., Nugent, C., Simpson, T., & Cantor, J. (2011). Parental eligibility and enrollment in state children’s health insurance program: The roles of parental health, employment, and family structure. American Journal of Public Health, 101(2), 274–277.

Su, C., Lu, X., Chen, W., & Wang, T. (2009). Promoting self-management improves the health status of patients having peritoneal dialysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 65(7), 1381–1389.