RESEARCH COURSE DEVELOPMENT 1

Introduction to nursing research: Course development

Shawn Z Stewart, RN, BSN, CCM

Thomas Edison State College

Nur-700-NG001

Dr. Mary Wombwell, EdD, RN, CNE

September 11, 2010

Introduction

Introduction to Nursing Research is a necessary course for today’s bachelorette in nursing program. This class is responsible for helping the student learn the concept of evidence-based nursing practice and the impact that it can make on their everyday clinical performance. The content taught in this course can have an enormous value when truly applied to daily clinical practice on improving patient outcomes. The course covers the research process, the evidence hierarchy, research designs, qualitative and quantitative, sampling techniques, methods for data collection and analysis. Another important attribute of this course is the understanding of literature review and journal standards. For example, if articles are truly peer reviewed research or simply other kinds of published papers(Meeker, Jones, and Flanagan, 2008).

The course fits well with the overall philosophy of the B.M.S.W. School of Nursing. If one looks under the Nursing Education section of our philosophy we note the importance of evidence-based practice “Nursing is an evidence based practice that is rapidly evolving in today’s complex healthcare environment.” The philosophy then goes on to state one of the goals as, “To acquire fundamental skills in critical thinking and scholarly inquiry.”

The placement of the course is due to two factors. One, the student must have satisfactorily completed a statistics course prior to enrolling in Introduction to Nursing Research. Two, It was felt that it would also be beneficial for the student to have had at least one semester of on-site clinical experience prior to the course. This will make it easier to encourage the student to connect the two concepts and how they can use research in the clinical setting. Therefore, it was felt to be most appropriate as a junior level course.

Curriculum Conception and Curriculum Design

This course articulates the curriculum design of the B.M.S.W. School of Nursing using Knowles theory of andragogy (adult learning), as well as integrating Kolb’s theory on learning styles to configurethis course. With this model the educator is able to effectively individualize teaching strategies to promote successful application of the content being covered. The central premise of this Constructivist Theory is that learners build conceptual foundations when they learn by using cognition skills, their pre-existing knowledge, and their individual past experiences to interpret the information being presented (Smith, 2002). Teachers are able to employ instructional strategies to assist in guiding students to help them discover the application of concepts learned on their own. In keeping with our school’s philosophy this maintains a student-centered focus on higher level learning.

As a compliment to Knowles organizing framework, Kolb’s theory on learning styles is embodied in the structure of this course as well. One of the primary foundations of Kolb’s philosophy is situated in the belief of offering a variety of educational experiences to augment the course material. This course exemplifies this combination with the multiple instructional approaches being taken including: the inclusion of a clinical practice requirement, collaborative group projects, lecture, individual formal presentations of experiences, and interactive guest nurse researcher presentations.

Course Objectives and Evaluation

Course Objectives and Rationale

There are four course objectives for the Introduction to Nursing Research course. The course objectives are outlined below with a description of the rationale for their use:

  • Course objective 1: Demonstrate the ability to utilize the research process in ascertaining clinical problem solving strategies. Rationale: Baccalaureate nurses must be able to comprehend, evaluate, and apply research across a wide variety of settings (Dobratz, 2003).
  • Course objective 2: Demonstrate the ability to locate appropriate evidence-based nursing literature on the internet. Rationale: It is important for students to be able to develop critical evaluation skills determining which studies are legitimate, as well as their applicability to a given scenario when doing primary research (Moore and Hart, 2004).
  • Course objective 3: Describe nursing research implications as it relates to practice, philosophy, and ethical issues. Rationale: When nurses participate in research studies they have obligations to assure informed consent (if appropriate), proper patient care, and to insure the integrity of the research project (American Association of Critical Care Nurses, 1999).
  • Course objective 4: Incorporate the use of evidence-based research for the purpose of caring for patients, improving outcomes, health promotion activities, and continued professional development. Rationale: Evidence-based practice allows the nurse to determine the highest quality intervention for a given set of circumstances. Nurses can critically evaluate current and past research, clinical guidelines, and other resources to assure they address client’s needs with the most beneficial intervention (University of Minnesota, n.d.).

Level Objectives, Program Outcomes, and Professional Standards

Each of the identified course objectives must directly correlate with one of the third year level objectives and demonstrate progress towards the overall program outcomes. The program outcomes have been established to fulfill the professional standards and competencies set forth by the AACN, the ANA, HIPAA, and the State of New Jersey. The following outlines the congruency between these objectives, standards, and competencies.

Course Objectives 1 & 4

Critical thinking: Recognize the significance of evidence-based research to the practice of nursing. The graduating student will demonstrate critical thinking in decisionmaking by using current standards of practice, evidence based practice, and research. -- The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN), 2008 – Essential IX, Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice, the ANA Standards – Standard I, Quality of Care; Standard VII, Research.

Course Objective 2

Modeler of the professional role: Demonstrate responsibility in providing safe and efficient quality care and support to patients by reviewing current literature. The graduating student will apply current clinical practice standards when planning and implementing health care. -- The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN), 2008 – Essential VII, Clinical Prevention and Population Health; Essential IX, Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice, the ANA Standards – Standard I, Quality of Care; Standard III, Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice.

Course Objective 3

Ethically and legally grounded: Demonstrate the understanding of ethical and legal issues in relation to the nursing profession and the common interest of public, health, safety, and welfare. The graduating student will employ ethical behaviors with relation to respect, value, and morals of diverse populations, based on the Code of Ethics for Nurses. -- The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN), 2008 – Essential V, Health Care, Policy, Finance and Regulatory Environment, The ANA Standards – Standard II, Performance Appraisal; Standard V, Ethics, The Code of Ethics for Nurses, The New Jersey Nurse Practice Act, New Jersey State Board of Nursing, HIPAA.

Evaluation

There are several barriers relative to the typical student’s perception of this course. According to (McCurry & Martins, 2010), nursing students generally question what value may come from a nursing research course as an undergraduate, and they rarely appreciate the link between research and practice. This leaves the educator with substantial barriers to overcome. This is why evaluation will come by way of multiple methods with the goal of being as innovative as possible to gain the students’ interest in the subject.

First, there will be a couple of general quizzes covering some of the basic concepts to be sure that everyone following as we go down the evidence hierarchy, totaling only 10% of the grade. The students will also be assigned a couple of annotated bibliographies, to ascertain their ability to locate appropriate resources; these will be worth 15% of the grade. The primary focus will be to constantly reinforce the value that evidence-based practice provides in everyday patient care; with the goal being students will utilize the teachings during their clinical rotations and incorporate it into their practice permanently (Meeker, et al., 2008).

One of the more innovative assessments that will be done at the end of this course is a formal presentation sharing the results of a collaborative clinical research study that will be done during the term. This presentation is worth 15% of the student’s grade. “Reading about research is important, but there is no substitute for doing it as a way to learn” (Gould, 2008 p.54). By allotting two hours of theory and three hours of weekly of a clinical component then students will be able to experience first-hand what it means to conduct nursing research. By incorporating this connection between research and practice students become more engaged in learning and become enthusiastic about the concept (August-Brady, 2005). Participation alone will account for 20% of the student’s grade.

The last 40% of the grade will come from each student performing a critique of both a qualitative and a quantitative published nursing research study. The critiques will show if students understand how important it is to validate a study. For example conceptual design appropriate, sample size is it clinically significant or statistically significant, the wording of the problem – is it specific enough to conduct a study, or does a review of the literature show that it may not even need to be studied?

Conclusion

Nursing research is too valuable a resource to not take advantage of it. At BMSW School of Nursing we want to see our students succeed at evidence-based practice. With our hybrid style Introduction to Nursing Research course that offers students both the theory and the clinical component our students will finish the class and say that they have been a part of a nursing research project with pride.

BMSW School of Nursing

Course:Introduction to Nursing Research

Credits:3 Credit Hours (2 of Theory and 1 Clinical for 3 clinical hours a week in the community setting)

Placement:Junior

Prerequisites:Introduction to statistics

Date:Winter 2011

Developer:Shawn Stewart

Course Description: This course is designed to provide the student with a comprehensive overview of nursing research, evidence-based practice, and its implications in clinical practice. Students will have two hours weekly of theory and three hours a week working on a collaborative learning project in a clinical practice environment. The students will actually be developing a research project under the general theme of patient safety. The final requirement of the class will be to create both a poster and a formal PowerPoint presentation to disseminate the study results.

Course Objectives:

  • Demonstrate the ability to utilize the research process in ascertaining clinical problem solving strategies.
  • Demonstrate the ability to locate appropriate evidence-based nursing literature on the internet.
  • Describe nursing research implications as it relates to practice, philosophy, and ethical issues.
  • Incorporate the use of evidence-based research for the purpose of caring for patients, improving outcomes, health promotion activities, and continued professional development.

Required Textbook:

Nieswiadomy, R. M. (2008). Foundations of nursing research. Upper Saddle River, N.J: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

Grading Methodology

Quizzes / Week 5 & 10 / 10%
Annotated bibliography / Due Week 8 / 15%
Critique of a qualitative nursing research article / Due Week 11 / 20%
Critique of a quantitative nursing research article / Due Week 13 / 20%
Presentation of research study results / Due Week 16 / 15%
Participation in research project / Ongoing / 20%

Content Outline

Module1: Overview of Nursing Research

  • Week 1 – Development of Nursing Research
  • Week 2 – Ethical Issues in Nursing Research
  • Week 3 – An Overview of Quantitative Research
  • Week 4 – An Overview of Qualitative Research
  • Week 5 – Identifying Nursing Research Problems
  • Week 6 – Review of the Literature
  • Week 7 – Theory and Nursing Research
  • Week 8 – Hypothesis and Research Questions

Module 2: Research Designs

  • Week 9 – Qualitative Research Designs
  • Week 10 – Quantitative Research Designs
  • Week 11 – Populations and Samples
  • Week 12 – Measurement and Collection of Data
  • Week 13 – Descriptive & Inferential Statistics
  • Week 14 – Presentation and Discussion of Study Findings
  • Week 15 & 16 – Finish Research Projects and do Presentations

RESEARCH COURSE DEVELOPMENT 1

Appendix A

Program Outcomes / Level Objectives / Course Objectives / Professional Standards and Competencies / Assessment Method
The graduating student will apply current clinical practice standards when planning and implementing health care. / Advocate for patients by collaborating with members of the health care team to plan, implement, and evaluate plan of care. / Incorporate the use of evidence-based research for the purpose of caring for patients, improving outcomes, health promotion activities, and continued professional development. / The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN), 2008 – Essential VII, Clinical Prevention and Population Health; Essential IX, Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice
The ANA Standards – Standard I, Quality of Care; Standard III, Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice / Evaluations will be completed via written quizzes, critiques of both qualitative and quantitative studies, and classroom discussion.
The graduating student will demonstrate critical thinking in decision making by using current standards of practice, evidence based practice, and research. / Recognize the significance of evidence-based research to the practice of nursing. / Demonstrate the ability to utilize the research process in ascertaining clinical problem solving strategies.
Incorporate the use of evidence-based research for the purpose of caring for patients, improving outcomes, health promotion activities, and continued professional development. / The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN), 2008 – Essential IX, Baccalaureate Generalist Nursing Practice
The ANA Standards – Standard I, Quality of Care; Standard VII, Research / Evaluations will be completed via written quizzes, critiques of both qualitative and quantitative studies, and classroom discussion.
Students will be conducting a collaborative research study and presenting their findings in a formal manner.
The graduating student will employ ethical behaviors with relation to respect, values, and morals of diverse populations, based on the Code of Ethics for Nurses.
The graduating nurse will demonstrate responsibility and accountability by practicing nursing following the rules and regulations as delineated in the State Nurse Practice Act and as dictated by the State Board of Nursing. / Demonstrate the understanding of ethical and legal issues in relation to the nursing profession and the common interest of public, health, safety, and welfare. / Describe nursing research implications as it relates to practice, philosophy, and ethical issues. / The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN), 2008 – Essential V, Health Care, Policy, Finance and Regulatory Environment
The ANA Standards – Standard II, Performance Appraisal; Standard V, Ethics
The Code of Ethics for Nurses
The New Jersey Nurse Practice Act
New Jersey State Board of Nursing
HIPAA / Evaluations will be completed via written quiz and through classroom discussion on this topic.
The graduating nurse will participate in professional development, evaluation of self-growth, and commitment to life- long learning. / Demonstrate responsibility in providing safe and efficient quality care and support to patients by reviewing current literature. / Demonstrate the ability to locate appropriate evidence-based nursing literature on the internet. / The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (AACN), 2008-Essential VIII, Professionalism and Professional Values
The ANA Standards – Standard I, Quality of Care; Standard II, Performance Appraisal; Standard III, Education / Evaluations will be completed via written quizzes, critiques of both qualitative and quantitative studies, and classroom discussion.
Students will be conducting a collaborative research study and presenting their findings in a formal manner.

RESEARCH COURSE DEVELOPMENT 1

References

AACN. (2008). The essentials of baccalaureate education for professional nurse practice. Retrieved September 7, 2010, from

American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Standards for acute and critical care nursing practice. 1999. Retrieved September 9, 2010 from

American Nurses Association Code of Ethics for Nurses. (). Retrieved , from

August-Brady, M. (2005). Educational innovations. Teaching undergraduate research from a process perspective. Journal of Nursing Education, 44(11), 519-521.

Dobratz, M. (2003). Putting the pieces together: teaching undergraduate research from a theoretical perspective. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 41(4), 383-392.

Gould, D. (2008). Undertaking a research project: guidance for nursing students. Nursing Standard, 22(50), 48-54.

HIPAA The Privacy Rule. (). Retrieved , from

McCurry, M., & Martins, D. (2010). Teaching undergraduate nursing research: a comparison of traditional and innovative approaches for success with millennial learners. Journal of Nursing Education, 49(5), 276-279.

Meeker, M., Jones, J., & Flanagan, N. (2008). Educational innovations. Teaching undergraduate nursing research from an evidence-based practice perspective. Journal of Nursing Education, 47(8), 376-379.

Moore, P., & Hart, L. (2004). Strategies for teaching nursing research online. International Nursing Review, 51(2), 123-128.

New Jersey Nursing Practice Act. (). Retrieved , from

Smith, M.K. (2002). Jerome S. Bruner and the process of education. The encyclopedia of informal education Retrieved August 3, 2010 from

The ANA Standards. (2009). Retrieved from