Question 1

Incorporating research findings into nursing practice is an activity to engage in&#10;A) as a critical element of professional practice.&#10;B) to evaluate nurse-sensitive outcomes.&#10;C) when there is time to research findings.

Accepted Answer

This is an activity to engage in as a critical element of practice. According to Hood and Leddy (2003), incorporating research findings into practice is not optional. To evaluate nurse-sensitive outcomes is incorrect because it is only one example of incorporating research findings into practice. When there is time to research findings is incorrect because we have a professional obligation to practice based on scientifically based knowledge and skills.

Question 2

The focus of research is to&#10;A) develop controversial expert opinions.&#10;B) refine and validate existing knowledge.&#10;C) train people to use critical thinking skills.

Accepted Answer

To refine and validate existing knowledge, or to create new knowledge, is the focus of research. Develop controversial expert opinions and to train people to think critically are incorrect because these are not the focus of research. However, research might verify expert opinion and research might support improved outcomes based on critical thinking skills.

Question 3

What type of research generates knowledge to directly influence clinical practice?&#10;A) Applied research.&#10;B) Basic research.&#10;C) Predictive research.

Accepted Answer

Applied research is directed toward solving practical problems. Basic research extends a discipline's knowledge base. Predictive research provides explanation about how one event or factor will influence another.

Question 4

Research should be able to stand up to scrutiny, which means that research-based information is both&#10;A) close to the researcher's values.&#10;B) reliable and valid.&#10;C) unbiased and subjective.

Accepted Answer

A key defining feature of research is its mission of providing reliable and valid knowledge. This means that the knowledge generated by research should be accurate (valid), replicable, credible, and trustworthy (reliable). Unbiased is correct, but subjective and close to the researcher's values are not correct. Research is objective and distanced from the researcher's beliefs and values.

Question 5

Empirical data are data that&#10;A) can be confirmed when a study is repeated.&#10;B) change with population and environment.&#10;C) Can be verified through experiment, not observation.

Accepted Answer

Empirical data are grounded in reality and are objective, rather than derived from personal biases or subjective beliefs. Because the data are objective, empirical data can be confirmed when a study is repeated. If the data change with population and environment is incorrect because this would indicate it is not objective data. Empirical data are observable or capable of verification through observation.

Question 6

Research that generates information to identify and detail the nature of a situation, including how it is related to other factors and events, is known as what type of research?&#10;A) Descriptive.&#10;B) Explanatory.&#10;C) Predictive.

Accepted Answer

Descriptive is correct because research that describes a phenomenon answers "what" questions. Explanatory goes beyond descriptive to answer "why" questions, and predictive goes yet another step to tell how one event or factor will influence another.

Question 7

Research that addresses &#34;why&#34; questions by examining factors that could explain variations is known as what type of research?&#10;A) Descriptive.&#10;B) Explanatory.&#10;C) Predictive.

Accepted Answer

Explanatory research goes beyond description and addresses "why" questions. Explanatory research clarifies relationships among phenomena and identifies reasons why certain events occur. Descriptive is incorrect because it answers the "what" questions. Predictive is incorrect because it explores how one factor influences another.

Question 8

A researcher randomly assigns 1,000 people who are invited to participate in a telephone survey to one of two groups: those receiving a gift certificate and those not receiving a gift certificate. Hang-up rates for the two groups are compared. This is an example of what kind of research?

A) Methodological research.
B) Outcomes research.
C) Survey research.

Accepted Answer

Methodological research focuses on exploring the efficacy and effectiveness of different data collection methods. Outcomes research focuses on the results of an intervention. Survey research is descriptive research.

Question 9

The ability to control a phenomenon builds on explanatory and predictive information that involves intentionally manipulating a situation to see if this manipulation will cause a desired outcome. This type of study has what type of focus?

A) If-then.
B) What.
C) Why.

Accepted Answer

"If-then" is the correct answer because it describes the manipulation: if this is done, then this will happen. "What" and "why" are incorrect because "what" is the focus used when describing (not controlling) a phenomena, and "why" is the focus of explanatory research.

Question 10

Which of the following best explains why nurses tend to rely on other sources of information rather than research data?&#10;A) Patients are individuals requiring trial and error to find the right intervention.&#10;B) Research requires time and is complicated to understand and implement.&#10;C) Traditional nursing interventions grounded in past experiences are effective.

Accepted Answer

Research is often seen as requiring too much time and being too complicated to understand and implement. Trial and error and tradition are incorrect because they are examples of other sources that are used for information rather than research data.

Question 11

Information that reflects only personal knowledge, experiences, or opinions, which may be based on out-of-date information, is an example of what type of information source?&#10;A) Authority.&#10;B) Policy/procedure.&#10;C) Tradition.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Information that reflects only personal knowledge, experiences,...

Question 12

The Health Behavior Model maintains that the likelihood of engaging in a healthy behavior increases as perception of the seriousness of the health condition that it addresses increases. Based on this, a researcher hypothesizes that individuals who receive anti-smoking literature with pictures of cancerous lungs will be more likely to quit smoking than individuals who receive only narrative information. This is an example of what kind of reasoning?

A) Authoritative.
B) Deductive.
C) Inductive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Health Behavior Model maintains that the...

Question 13

Identifying the themes represented by narrative is an example of what kind of reasoning?&#10;A) Deductive.&#10;B) Inductive.&#10;C) Intuitive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identifying the themes represented by narrative is...

Question 14

A researcher observes anxious behavior among hospitalized children and concludes that, in general, children's separation from their parents is stressful. This is an example of what kind of reasoning?&#10;A) Conceptual.&#10;B) Deductive.&#10;C) Inductive.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A researcher observes anxious behavior among hospitalized...

Question 15

Evidence-based practice relies heavily on research findings, but best evidence also includes which of the following?&#10;A) Clinical tradition.&#10;B) Patient values and beliefs.&#10;C) Physician preferences.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Evidence-based practice relies heavily on research findings,...

Question 16

One of the research competencies needed by baccalaureate-prepared nurses in order to have an evidence-based practice is the ability to&#10;A) conduct a full literature review on nursing interventions.&#10;B) develop new studies to&#10;C) locate, read, and critically evaluate research studies.&#10;

Accepted Answer

The answer of One of the research competencies needed by...

Deck 1: Research and Contemporary Nursing