research designs and appraises them

 research designs and appraises them

Every research has its unique procedures and objectives that guide how the research is carried out. Research has to follow a research design that refers to the framework of methods and techniques that combine the components of research to handle the research problem efficiently. A research design provides insights on how the research is carried out and should have some essential elements. Research designs can be classified either into two; qualitative research design and quantitative research design or into five types; descriptive research design, experimental research design, diagnostic research design, correlational research design, and explanatory research design. This paper discusses the two types of research designs and appraises them.

A qualitative research design is characterized by a naturalistic inquiry, holistic perspectives, inductive analysis, flexibility, empathic neutrality, dynamic systems, and unique case orientation. Nursing issues that tend to relate to this design in health-related groups or experiences include topics where there is little knowledge and gaining new insights into recently researched healthcare issues. There are different qualitative design methodologies, such as focus groups, ethnographic research, and case study research. Focus groups include the use of a limited number of respondents within the target market. The method is expensive but can be conducted online. Ethnographic research is an in-depth observational method in a natural setting. Information from this method comes from first-hand experiences though it is challenging and time-consuming.

On the other hand, case study research explains an entity and is the simplest method that gives a thorough understanding of the data. Qualitative research evidence has its strengths, such as providing behavior patterns and designing new methods of providing care in the health sector. However, there are some weaknesses, such as time-consuming methods, usage of smaller sample groups, and high costs of collecting the evidence. This research design is manifested in the observation of non-numerical data, where the data collected are concepts or characteristics.

From the assessment of a qualitative study of experience nurses’ voluntary turnover, qualitative research by Hayward et al., (2016), the aspects of qualitative research design can be appraised. The purpose of the study was to examine the factors that determine the turnover of experienced nurses. The study uses a qualitative research design that has an interpretive descriptive approach. The design is appropriate because the purpose of the study looks to get in-depth information rather than numerical information. In the study, there existed an ethical issue related to participant privacy. The nurses in the study had to maintain their anonymity to reduce the turnover that might be caused by the study. The researchers adhered to this ethical issue through proper documentation processes that provided information security.

Researchers used purposive sampling to come up with a sample of 12 nurses. The recruitment strategy involved nurses who had a working experience of at least 15 years, and they came from different inpatient settings. With regard to the study, the sampling technique and recruitment strategy were appropriate because they enable access to information from participants that they targeted, and the information would have high accuracy levels. On the other hand, data was collected through interviews, which was ideal as the questions were tailored according to the research objectives. Data analysis was conducted through content analysis, which is an ideal method to analyze data from interviews. The method was in line with the research design and objectives.

Once research has been conducted, the researchers may need to judge the rigor of the project. The criteria that can be used to do that involves credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability. From our study, the credibility is not satisfactory due to some limitations such as the sampling techniques and the sample size, and the transferability holds because the study can be replicated due to its simple and well laid out procedures. Similarly, the dependability does not hold, and so does the confirmability. The study yielded information on the factors that cause nurses to leave work and dissatisfaction at work. However, the research had limitations; the sampling techniques used were prone to bias, and the small sample size limits the information obtained. Although the study was well conducted, the limitations reduce the trustworthiness of the study. However, it is applicable to nursing in highlighting the need to promote collaborative practice, reduce workplace stressors, and enhance supportive leadership behaviors to retain nurses at work.

The other research design is quantitative research, which refers to systematic investigation through the use of quantifiable data. In the nursing profession, this research design is used to reflect on past activities and experiences; for example, the impact of falls on patients’ recovery periods. There are specific concepts that need to be understood in quantitative research: an observational study involves an independent variable not controlled by the researcher while an interventional study involves some form of intervention for evaluation, an experimental study occurs naturally without intervention while a quasi-experimental study uses a criterion selected by the researcher. For data analysis, descriptive statistics use data to formulation population description, while inferential statistics make inferences based on the sample. This research design is used in researches where the population is large, and information is required to make a generalization.

From the information above, we critique research by Hannigan (2018) to evaluate a quantitative research design. The purpose of the study is to explore the potential and challenges of public and patient involvement (PPI) in healthcare. In such a design, blinding refers to the prevention of participants to know some information that can influence their participation, while randomization refers to assigning participants to groups based on chance. The study does not incorporate blinding but uses randomization in sampling. The ethical issue related to the study is beneficence. The study focuses on the public and should provide the best possible outcome for them without posing any harm. The researchers used simple random sampling to obtain a representative sample and a direct approach as a recruitment strategy. The sample size was determined by increasing participation of under-represented groups and embracing diversity in the population.

Data was collected through questionnaires, which also served as the data collection instruments. A research instrument has to have validity and reliability; validity is the design and extent that an instrument can measure while reliability is the extent to provide similar results over multiple times. Questionnaires satisfied both the validity and reliability because of the uniformity they have. The data obtained were analyzed through descriptive statistics. The analysis involved graphical and numerical summaries that provided adequate information on the sample population. The findings highlight how PPI improves patient outcomes and the impact it has on the community. However, a limitation to this study was in participation where some participants were unwilling to provide information. The study is trustworthy and applicable because previous studies yielded similar results, improving the statistical significance of the study.

From the critique and brief descriptions on qualitative research designs and quantitative research designs, an individual can be able to identify either of the designs in a study. The features of both designs are distinct, and for nursing practitioners, the information can be used in coming up with research design for a study. Research is an important aspect of the nursing environment as it provides information to improve practice; therefore a research design is equally important.