NURS 8200 Discussion: Quantitative and Qualitative Research in Clinical Settings

Qualitative and quantitative research projects can be applied to evidence-based practice in nursing. Qualitative and quantitative projects provide valuable knowledge that can be used to inform nursing practice. Quantitative projects act as sources of empiric knowledge that can be used in nursing practice (Pope & Mays, 2020). The empiric knowledge informs the critical decisions that nurses make in providing care to their patients. Qualitative projects on the other hand provide knowledge that informs the art of nursing practice. Nurses utilize evidence from qualitative studies to understand the experiences of their patients. They also use evidence from qualitative projects to understand the attitude, beliefs and practices of other healthcare providers towards aspects of patient care (Rutberg & Bouikidis, 2018). The understanding obtained from qualitative studies contributes to the generation of theories that can be used to inform nursing practice (Horntvedt et al., 2018). Therefore, nurses combine the evidence from qualitative and quantitative projects to come up with informed, evidence-based interventions that can be used in providing patient care.

A number of characteristics of quantitative research make it appropriate for addressing evidence-based practice problems. One of the

NURS 8200 Discussion Quantitative and Qualitative Research in Clinical Settings

characteristics is the sample size. Quantitative studies that utilize large sample sizes produce highly reliable results due to the generalizability of findings. Small sample sizes limit the applicability of findings to a larger population. The other characteristic is the methods applied in a quantitative study. Quantitative studies that utilize methods such as randomization and control provide evidence that can be used to address evidence-based problems. This is attributed to the high level of confidence associated with the data obtained through methods such as randomization and control of study subjects (Pope & Mays, 2020). The last characteristic is the population used in a quantitative study. The study population should be relevant to the clinical issue being investigated. Relevance ensures that the interventions can be used solves evidence-based practice problems in nursing (Rutberg & Bouikidis, 2018).

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References

Horntvedt, M.-E. T., Nordsteien, A., Fermann, T., & Severinsson, E. (2018). Strategies for teaching evidence-based practice in nursing education: A thematic literature review. BMC Medical Education, 18(1), 172. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-018-1278-z

Pope, C., & Mays, N. (2020). Qualitative Research in Health Care. John Wiley & Sons.

Rutberg, S., & Bouikidis, C. D. (2018). Focusing on the Fundamentals: A Simplistic Differentiation Between Qualitative and Quantitative Research. 45(2), 6.

Thank you for your post, Cindy. EBP ensures that the best care is provided to patients and families, and the results include improved patient outcomes and satisfaction (Grove & Gray, 2018). Both quantitative and qualitative research methods generate valuable knowledge for our practice; however, it is critical to identify which evidence provides the best answers for specific practice questions. Quantitative evidence provides empiric knowledge necessary for practice, and qualitative evidence supports the personal and experiential knowledge critical for practice. Qualitative research presents its findings through participants’ words and stories, which are easily applied to nursing care practices. Qualitative research has much to offer nursing and healthcare, in terms of understanding patients’ experience of illness, treatment, and recovery. It can also help to understand better areas of healthcare practice. In quantitative research, the study must be evaluated based on steps of the research process in studies, study strengths and weaknesses, and credibility and meaning of study findings (Buccheri & Sharifi, 2017).

References

Buccheri, R. K., & Sharifi, C. (2017). Critical appraisal tools and reporting guidelines for evidence‐based practice. Worldviews on Evidence‐Based Nursing, 14(6), 463-472. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12258

Grove, S. K., & Gray, J. R. (2018). Understanding Nursing Research E-Book: Building an Evidence-Based Practice (7 ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.