Developing and Using Skills - Research Paper Example

Developing and Using Research Skills Research is one of the most important concepts that are applied when generating and proving any form of hypothesis. Researchers engage in proving different hypothesis and coming up with analysis and conclusions on subjects that can later be cited by other writers. It is therefore important to ensure that a research follows the best method and procedure in coming up with its inference at the end of a research. There is a need for the researcher to conduct the topic of research through following a specific structure that is easy to follow and identify for future reference. It is also important to assess the form of data that is collected and how it is later analysed and discussed at the end of the project. This paper looks at the most important concepts that should be included in a research project looking at how the introduction of new computer systems has changed communication within hospitals. Background of the study Communication is one of the most important aspects in a person’s life as it ensures it bridges the gap that exists between two people. Communication involves the transfer and understanding of messages between the sender and receiver of a message thereby ensuring that the proper cause of action can be taken. It is also defined as imparting or the interchanging of thoughts, opinions, and information by speech, writing or signs between two people (Patten and Bruce, 2009, pg131). The paper looks at the impact of communication between nurses and patients after the introduction of the new system of care in health settings. It examines how the introduction of the new EPR computer system has influenced the nurses in their communication with the patients at the hospital. Aims of the study The study aims at establishing whether the level of communication has changed since the introduction of new computer system. It also aims at establishing if the nurses have seen any improvements in their service provision to the patients in hospitals after the introduction of the new system. Rationale The aim of the research is to investigate the effect and impact on the communication between the nurses and patients after the introduction of new system of care in health settings. The Electronic Patient Record (EPR) is a computer system that has been implemented for a new clinical information system. The system is used to record information on the different patients keying in important clinical and administrative data that can later be accessed in future. It has been cited as being beneficial to the nurses and doctors in recording information and accessing the important data when required. It has also been credited with a high level of accuracy of data and stores information on the diagnosis and the medication that has been taken by patients in the hospital. The computer system has been installed with the best security measures to ensure that information on patients is stored and protected for confidentiality. Communication on the other hand is important in diagnosis and in interchanging the thoughts on important patient and family centred information. It is therefore important to understand the different impacts that the system has had on communication between the patient and the nurse. Additionally there is a need to understand how the two groups have been impacted but most importantly its impact on nurses. The paper therefore aims to highlight the influence of the system on the nurses and their level of care through understanding how it has influenced communication. Methodology The research is looking to ascertain whether the changes that have been effected by the new ERP system have changed the communication between the nurses and patients. The research takes both the qualitative and quantitative methods of research as it looks to exemplify and understand the different factors that have changed with the changes in systems. The research therefore takes different methods of collecting data and information to incorporate both methods of research. The research uses questionnaires and interviews as the process of collecting information through the two methods. A pilot study of questionnaire was produced and sent out to a few participants in order to come up with a set of questions that met the needs of the research. After the information and data was collected from the pilot questionnaire a finalised set of questions was thereafter drafted to ensure that all the important aspects of the research were captured. The questionnaires were used as the main method to collect qualitative data that could later be tabulated and analysed statistically (Picardi and Masick, 2007, pg75). One of the main problems that were identified from the pilot questionnaire was the structure of the multiple choice questions that was found to be wanting and had too much ambiguity and details that made it difficult to answer. Moreover, the complexity of the questions was also variably identified and raised a lot of problems since the questions were too long and the choices too many to conduct a good analysis of the information. This thereby necessitated a revaluation of the information that was on the questionnaires to ensure that the questions were properly structured and derived the required information from the respondents. The finalised questionnaire was later given to 10 nurses who consisted of five male and five female nurses in different departments. This was to ensure that there was no gender bias a factor that could have affected the results of the study. In addition, there was a need to get information from different departments to ensure that the information was inclusive of all the different departments within the hospital to avoid departmental bias. The structured questionnaire was used for the quantitative data that was sourced for quantitative analysis. The quantitative data was useful in coming up with data on the different indicators that highlighted the help or impediment that the system offered to the nurses. The questionnaires were later structured and stratified to form statistical data and figures that the researcher used in forming a quantitative analysis. A quantitative data draws inferences and proving of a hypothesis from the statistical information that is gathered and interpreted in the research. This means that the information is reflective and accurately figured to come up with the best form of indicative analysis and eventual final inference of the research. The data collected under this method is highly reliable since there is a standardised data collection and analysis method that helps the researcher to make proper inferences (Picardi and Masick, 2007, pg75). However, one has to make sure that the set of questions asked have been carefully and accurately formed to ensure that the data collected meets the specific demands of the analysis methods instituted. The questionnaire was mostly open ended that made it easier to collect and stratify the data while there were also open ended questions that allowed the participants to make further comments. The information and questionnaires were handed in to volunteers that were selected from every department in John Radcliffe hospital. The sample size for the research included a set of more 70 nurses that were drawn from all departments in the hospital. The nurses were however reduced to twenty four to get the number to a manageable level and were later trained by the researcher on the different aspects that was needed in the research. This was used as a platform to reach out to the nurses and instil the different characteristics and pertinent features that the research was to investigate in the process. The twenty four people that were finally selected for the final part of the training were chosen through random sampling and then they were trained on the different aspects of the research with a detailed structure of specific information required given. There were a set of eight questions that were to be answered truthfully by the nurses and in the process give a detailed review of their assertions about the influence of computer systems on communication. The data was then organized and stratified after which from the twenty four set of questionnaires a set of ten that were five from male nurses and five female nurses were finally used as the reference for the final research. The data collected and compiled was finally used for analysis in specific statistical methods. The second method that was used was the unstructured interviews where the qualitative data was collected for analysis. The unstructured interviews do not only examine the figures and numbers but are also used in examining the quality and mode of analysis that was used by the researcher (Picardi and Masick, 2007, pg75). Interviews are conducted on different nurses. The nurses would be interviewed in thirty minutes to offer an insight on the system and how it is influencing their work in the hospital. The interviews would be used to gauge the feeling of the nurses and how effective the method has been not only n communication but in other forms of service to the hospital. The researcher is able to analyse the person’s views, personal experiences, thoughts and feelings that are associated with the system in order to gain hands on information on the system and an understanding on the individual’s perspective (Fox, Green and Martin, 2007, pg94). The information collected however cannot be analysed numerically but can only be interpreted through determining the importance of the information and coming up with the structures and metrics that are used in the measurement of the assessment given (Patten and Bruce, 2009, pg1o7). This therefore means that the information does not have a high level of reliability and credibility of the data since there is no way that the data can be measured for outliers and also tested through the statistical measures. The semi-structured interview can only be measured for validity to the subject matter of the research. There is also a probability that the information given by the respondent may in some cases be biased and as a result there is a need to interview more than five people from different levels of nurses within the hospital. The interview at John Radcliffe hospital therefore was given to five nurses that worked at different departments within the hospital. However, the number of nurses that were interviewed represented a substantial number of nurses that could give the research higher credibility and validity. The five nurses were three female and to ensure that there was no gender imbalance in the set of information. The two forms of data collection will be important in understanding the different aspects of the systems that might have detrimentally affected or benefitted the nurses in communication and level of care with the patients. Quantitative and qualitative studies are important aspects in analysing and understanding new concepts and phenomenon. One of the main aspects that has been highlighted is the ethical concerns that are critical to any research are conclusively addressed in the research process. One of the issues that are addressed is the signing of a consent form that is important in gaining the authority of the volunteer to publish information regarding the research. In addition, permission from the hospital’s administration is also required in the research to ensure that the hospital has offered the researcher the authority and permission to conduct research at their facility. While conducting the training for volunteers in the research it important to ensure that one highlights the importance of the process and signing the consent form through giving the people a brief of the information that is set to be released about the research (Fox, Green and Martin, 2007, pg94). The research will be conducted on nurses that have an authority to handle the system and access the files of patients in the hospital and not for interns that do not have any form of authority. Privacy and confidentiality of the information given will not be underestimated and will be constantly cited during training to highlight how important the aspects are to the research. Results The survey conducted for the qualitative study through the questionnaire reveals that of the five females that took the study they were of the opinion that the new system had influenced communication with their patients. The EPR system according to them was influencing their interaction with the patients since they either had enough information on the patients or were being hindered by the system. The information that was given had to be generated and entered into the system a factor that they found was an impediment in their interaction with the patients (Patten and Bruce, 2009, pg112). The male nurses on the other hand had a split decision whereby three nurses said that it was influencing their communication while the others said that they found no form of changes that were as a result of the system. According to the male nurses that found changes in the system they cited a problem that arose from the fact that they had to enter the patient’s rooms with the machines. This acted as a disturbance and could not let the nurses focus on the information that was being given by the patient. It raised a considerable level of distraction in their interactions and was impacting their decision making procedures and the synthesis of information. On the other hand the other nurses saw no difference in the level of communication as a result of the new ERP system and were of the opinion that in some cases it made their job much easier. According to the two nurses, the information that was collected and stored about a patient’s history was important in forming the basis for the questions to ask thereby creating a good communication platform. Qualitatively however the nurses that were interviewed found the system to be affecting their communication with the patients both positively and negatively. They said that for some patients they could not give information about their past diagnosis and also treatments easily and the system could help since it stored all the information. However, as nurses there was a need for the nurse to connect with the patient a factor that was eliminated since the nurses concentrated on keying data into the computers. There was a unanimous agreement that the disadvantages to service delivery as nurses were hampered by the new system. Evaluation The two methods offer an insight to the specific method since although the quantitative method does not offer information on the system the qualitative does. It is therefore easier to establish a connection between the two methods and make conclusive arguments regarding the processes involved in the research. The qualitative research is effective in giving the researcher an understanding how the method has influenced and changed the nurses’ interactions with their patients (Patten and Bruce, 2009, pg112). On the other hand the patients are seen to lose from less information and interaction with their nurses a factor that helps in ensuring that they would be given the best service. The quantitative method has supplied the researcher with some insightful information on the changes that have been effected since the implementation of the new methods. the questions that have been identified by the researcher offer a proper metric through which the researcher can use to gauge and collect the information required to come up with the results of this research. The questionnaire is also beneficial through the fact that it also has some part of qualitative aspect through the open ended question that it gives to the nurses. The sampling method of the volunteers on the other hand ensured that the research had the required reliability and validity that are important aspects in any form of research. The research also ensured that there was no form of bias that could influence the results since the number of people that took the research represented a significant number of nurses that could derive the best results on the research. In addition the results that have been drawn on the research show a pattern in the response given by the respondents. Both methods that were used in the research came with the conclusion that the system has plagued and hindered the system through hindering the communication processes between the patient and their nurses. Statistical methods can also be used in trying to establish any form of inference in the results that were generated in the questionnaire therefore it is important to ensure that there is a structured approach to the information collected. The results indicate that the best methods have been applied in the said process since the trend is evident of the consistency of the results. There are only two outliers in the fifteen people that were interviewed and took part in answering the questionnaire a factor that shows how consistent the results have been and the reliability and validity of the methods used in the research. Conclusion Communication is an integral part in any diagnosis or treatment within a given hospital. In John Radcliffe Hospital the same case applies as it emphasizes on the importance of interaction by the nurses with their patients. It is important for the nurses to not only talk to their patients and communicate that entails listening, understanding and taking the appropriate cause of action. This ensures that the patients can get the best form of treatment by the nurses since they know the best method of care for every condition by their patients. The ERP system is a computer system that has changed the mode of communication and the concentration of the nurses to the information given by their patients. The nurses have started being engaged in different forms of behaviour that has increasingly led them to not only listen to the information given by their patients but also enter the data into the computers at the same time. It acts as a distraction to their work and does not allow the nurses to give the best form of care. The data collected from the research highlights how the nurses feel about the system and the main problems in communication that the nurses face. In a data collected from fifteen respondents only two were of the view that there were no changes in communication that were observed. This is evident of the challenges that the nurses are facing in hospitals as a result of the implementation of the system since the nurses are a representative sample. The research identifies that there is a gap in service delivery that has been instigated by the change in the software system that is occupying the nurses. One of the questions that were asked was the time that it took for the nurses to offer services to their patients since the inception of the new method. Many of the nurses reiterated that the time has increased massively and fro the interview the number of patients that a nurse could serve in a day has reduced. The measures implemented have been criticized from the nurses’ point of view and has increasingly raised the number of people that are constantly receiving poor services as a result of the system. However, this does not mean that the system is a bad addition to the medial services sector since it has ensured that information on patients is stored in a single system where it can be accessed easily. The nurses can use the information on patients to ensure that they are acquainted with their patients and have a platform to offer their services and medication more easily. It is also useful in diagnosis since the doctor can identify the best methods to treat specific ailments given a patients history. This therefore means that there needs to be further research in the field and ensure that the research does not only look at communication but other factors as well. Communication on the other hand should not be underestimated and should also be further researched to ensure that the information collected involves a bigger sample and in more than a single hospital. However, from the information collected from this project it is clear that communication has been hampered by the new ERP system. It is therefore important to ensure that the best methods are applied for better application and synchronization of the system in the hospitals. References Fox, M., Green, G., & Martin, P. J. (2007). Doing practitioner research. London: SAGE. Patten, M. L., & Bruce, R. R. (2009). Understanding research methods: An overview of the essentials. Glendale, CA: Pyrczak Pub. Picardi, C. A., & Masick, K. D. (2014). Research methods: Designing and conducting research with a real-world focus. 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