What can a nurse researcher address in a study using a survey design? (Select all that apply.)
A) Interrelationships of variables
B) Description of variables
C) Assessment of differences between variables
D) Determination of causation
E) Prediction of treatment outcomes

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

A nurse researcher can address several research questions using a survey design. Survey research can help to describe the characteristics of a sample, examine the relationships among variables, and identify differences between groups. However, it cannot determine causation or predict treatment outcomes. Therefore, options A, B, and C are appropriate choices for a nurse researcher using a survey design.
Option A refers to exploring how different variables are related to each other, which is commonly done in survey research. For example, a nurse researcher might use a survey to examine how patient satisfaction is related to various aspects of nursing care.
Option B refers to describing the characteristics of a sample, which is also common in survey research. For example, a nurse researcher might use a survey to describe the demographics, health status, and healthcare experiences of a group of patients.
Option C refers to assessing differences between groups, which can also be done using survey research. For example, a nurse researcher might use a survey to examine differences in pain levels between patients who receive different pain management interventions.
Option D refers to determining causation, which is not possible with survey research alone. Establishing causation requires experimental research designs that manipulate variables and control for extraneous factors.
Option E refers to predicting treatment outcomes, which is also not possible with survey research alone. Predicting treatment outcomes requires more robust research designs that involve experimental manipulation of the treatment variable and control for confounding variables.

What Can a Nurse Researcher Address in a Study Using