There are different types of quantitative research designs that justify or support themselves in nursing research. Choose one quantitative type design and identify a major advantage and a major disadvantage of this design. Give an example how this quantitative research design could be used in nursing practice to solve a clinical problem (not one noted in your textbook). Textbook:
Introduction
Quantitative research designs play a crucial role in supporting evidence-based practice in nursing research. These designs provide a systematic approach to collecting and analyzing numeric data, enabling researchers to investigate relationships, patterns, and trends in a rigorous and objective manner. One commonly used quantitative research design is the experimental design, which offers unique advantages and disadvantages. This paper will discuss experimental design as a quantitative research design, highlight its major advantage and disadvantage, and provide an example of its application in nursing practice to solve a clinical problem.
Experimental Design: An Overview
Experimental design is a quantitative research design that involves the manipulation of an independent variable to observe its effect on a dependent variable. It is often used to establish cause-and-effect relationships between variables by controlling for extraneous variables and randomizing participants into experimental and control groups (Polit & Beck, 2017). In an experimental design, the researcher actively manipulates the independent variable in the experimental group and compares the outcomes with those of a control group, which does not receive the manipulation. The design also allows for the random assignment of participants to minimize bias and increase generalizability of the findings.
Advantage of Experimental Design
One major advantage of the experimental design is its ability to establish causal relationships between variables. By actively manipulating the independent variable and comparing the outcomes in the experimental and control groups, experimental design allows researchers to draw inferences about cause-and-effect relationships. This advantage makes the experimental design invaluable in providing evidence for nursing interventions and establishing the effectiveness of various treatments or interventions.
For example, suppose a researcher is interested in investigating the effects of a new pain management method on post-operative pain in surgical patients. The researcher can design an experimental study where patients scheduled for surgery are randomly assigned to two groups: one receiving the new pain management method, and the other receiving the standard pain management protocol. By actively manipulating the independent variable (new pain management method), the researcher can observe the dependent variable (post-operative pain) and determine whether the new method leads to better pain control compared to the standard protocol. The experimental design in this scenario allows the researcher to establish a causal relationship by controlling for confounding variables and randomizing participants into groups.
Disadvantage of Experimental Design
While experimental design offers advantages, it also has limitations that researchers must consider. One significant disadvantage of experimental design is its lack of ecological validity. The highly controlled environment of experimental studies may not accurately reflect real-world conditions and may limit the generalizability of the findings (Polit & Beck, 2017). In experimental designs, researchers often use artificial settings, strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, and standardized protocols, which may not accurately represent the complexity and variability of clinical practice.
For instance, imagine a researcher who wants to investigate the effects of a new educational program on reducing anxiety levels in patients with chronic illnesses. The researcher designs an experiment where patients are randomly assigned to either receive the educational program or receive standard care. While the experimental design can provide control over extraneous variables and establish a causal relationship between the educational program and reduced anxiety, the findings may not accurately reflect the complexity and variability of real-world clinical practice. Patients in clinical settings face numerous factors (e.g., environmental, social, psychological) that can influence anxiety levels, which may not be accounted for in the controlled experimental setting.
Application in Nursing Practice
Experimental design can be applied in nursing practice to solve clinical problems and improve patient outcomes. As an example, let us consider a clinical problem in the context of nursing practice. Nurses play a critical role in preventing hospital-acquired infections, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. One common challenge in ICU practice is the prevention of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI). CLABSI is a major source of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients and is associated with significant healthcare costs (Berenholtz et al., 2014). Implementing evidence-based interventions to reduce CLABSI rates is vital for improving patient safety and outcomes in the ICU.
To address this clinical problem, a nurse researcher may design an experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of a bundled intervention in reducing CLABSI rates. The researcher would randomly assign different ICUs to receive the bundled intervention or standard care. The bundled intervention could include strict hand hygiene protocols, proper catheter insertion techniques, and daily review of line necessity. By manipulating the independent variable (bundled intervention) and measuring the dependent variable (CLABSI rates), the researcher can determine whether the intervention leads to a significant reduction in CLABSI rates compared to standard care.
Conclusion
In conclusion, experimental design is a quantitative research design that allows researchers to investigate cause-and-effect relationships between variables. It offers the advantage of establishing causal relationships, making it valuable in providing evidence for nursing interventions and determining treatment effectiveness. However, experimental design lacks ecological validity, limiting the generalizability of findings to real-world clinical practice. Despite this limitation, experimental design can be applied in nursing practice to solve clinical problems and improve patient outcomes by testing the effectiveness of interventions on specific clinical issues. Overall, experimental design is a valuable quantitative research design that contributes to evidence-based practice in nursing.