Question 1

What occurs in a sequential clinical trial?

Accepted Answer

In a sequential clinical trial, data are analyzed continuously as they become available, allowing for the possibility of the trial ending early if results are significantly positive or negative. This approach contrasts with traditional fixed-sample-size trials where data analysis typically occurs only after all data has been collected.

Question 2

Which phase of a clinical trial requires an experimental design?

Accepted Answer

Phase III of a clinical trial requires an experimental design to compare the new treatment to the standard treatment in a larger group of participants to assess its effectiveness and monitor side effects.

Question 3

Which phase of a clinical trial involves seeking opportunities for refinements and preliminary evidence of efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Phase II of a clinical trial primarily focuses on assessing the efficacy of a drug or treatment for a particular condition, along with evaluating its safety. This phase also seeks opportunities for refinements in terms of dosage and administration methods.

Question 4

What type of research would occur if a nurse researcher wanted to determine how well a prenatal program was meeting its objectives?

Accepted Answer

Evaluation research is specifically designed to assess the effectiveness of programs, policies, or interventions, making it the most appropriate choice for determining how well a prenatal program is meeting its objectives.

Question 5

When is an experimental design most likely to be used?

Accepted Answer

Experimental design is most likely used in impact analyses to determine the causal effects of an intervention by comparing outcomes between a treatment group and a control group.

Question 6

When are qualitative data most likely to be collected?

Accepted Answer

Qualitative data are most likely to be collected during process analysis to understand how a program or intervention operates, the context in which it operates, and the experiences of those involved. This type of analysis often involves collecting detailed, descriptive data that can explain processes, mechanisms, and participant perspectives, which are best captured through qualitative methods.

Question 7

Which factor is not utilized in Donabedian's framework for outcomes research?

Accepted Answer

Donabedian's framework for evaluating the quality of healthcare is based on three main components: structures, processes, and outcomes. "Interactions" is not one of the components utilized in Donabedian's framework. Structures refer to the attributes of the settings where care occurs, processes involve the methods by which care is delivered, and outcomes concern the effects of healthcare on the health status of patients and populations.

Question 8

What would the nurse researcher who is interested in learning whether self- administered health history questionnaires yielded results comparable to a personal interview health history form be doing?

Accepted Answer

The nurse researcher is conducting a methodologic study, which focuses on the development, testing, and evaluation of research tools and methods. In this case, comparing the effectiveness of self-administered questionnaires to personal interviews for collecting health history information is an evaluation of research methods.

Question 9

What is the U.S. Census?

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Census is a survey conducted every ten years to count the population and collect demographic information.

Question 10

A nurse researcher used the U.S. Census data to examine the relationship between women's labor force participation and fertility. What does this represent?

Accepted Answer

The use of U.S. Census data to examine the relationship between variables (in this case, women's labor force participation and fertility) without collecting new data directly from participants is an example of secondary analysis. This approach involves analyzing data that was originally collected by someone else for a different purpose.

Question 11

The nurse researcher is conducting a needs assessment to estimate the needs of a cardiac support group. What does a needs assessment often use?

Accepted Answer

A needs assessment often uses key informants who are individuals with specialized knowledge about the group's needs, providing valuable insights into the specific requirements and concerns of the target population, such as a cardiac support group in this scenario.

Question 12

The nurse researcher is interested in this type of research to assess the effectiveness of clinical interventions that often involve a series of phases. What type of research can provide this information?

Accepted Answer

Clinical trials are designed to assess the effectiveness of clinical interventions and often involve a series of phases, including Phase I, II, III, and IV trials.

Question 13

This type of research aims to reduce the gap between efficacy and effectiveness studies, such as between internal and external validity.

Accepted Answer

Hybrid design research specifically aims to bridge the gap between efficacy (the performance of an intervention under ideal and controlled circumstances) and effectiveness (the performance under 'real-world' conditions). This approach seeks to balance the focus on internal validity (the degree to which the results of a study can be attributed to the interventions being tested, rather than other factors) and external validity (the extent to which the results of a study can be generalized to other situations or to other people).

Question 14

Which type of analysis would the nurse researcher use to test whether a program caused net impacts relative to the counterfactual?

Accepted Answer

Impact analysis is specifically designed to assess the causal effects of programs or interventions by comparing outcomes with what would have happened in the absence of the program (the counterfactual).

Question 15

What type of research examines the quality and effectiveness of healthcare and nursing services?

Accepted Answer

Outcomes research focuses on understanding the end results of healthcare practices and interventions, including their effectiveness and quality, in real-world settings.

Question 16

The nurse researcher is reading about a replication study. What is a systematic extension replication?

Accepted Answer

A systematic extension replication involves deliberate attempts to test the implications of the original research, expanding on the initial study's findings by exploring additional variables, conditions, or contexts.

Question 17

The nurse researcher is reading about a replication study. What is virtual replication?

Accepted Answer

Virtual replication involves closely approximating but not exactly duplicating the methods of an earlier study. This allows for the examination of the findings under slightly different conditions or with different populations, which can help in validating the original findings.

Question 18

The nurse researcher is reading about a replication study. What is identical replication?

Accepted Answer

Identical replication involves the exact duplication of the methods of an earlier study to verify its findings.

Question 19

What is a black box?

Accepted Answer

A black box refers to the underlying, unmeasured causes or mediators of the observed effects of an intervention, indicating factors or processes that are not directly observed or understood but are responsible for the outcomes of interest.

Question 20

Which phase do randomized clinical trials take place?

Accepted Answer

Randomized clinical trials primarily take place in Phase III, where the new treatment is compared to the standard treatment to evaluate its effectiveness and monitor side effects.

Quiz 11: Specific Types of Quantitative Research