Emotional Intelligence and Teamwork Skills Among Undergraduate Engineering and Nursing Students - Research Paper Example

Research Article Critique The healthcare sector has been a crucial industry since ancient times to the modern world. Over the years health care services have improved remarkably due to discoveries and improvements made through research findings. Research is an essential aspect of evidence-based practice, which is becoming popular in nursing and other disciplines in healthcare. The successful utilization of evidence obtained through research demands the evaluation of the process of obtaining the evidence using scientific methods. The critique of a research article is an important activity in nursing practice that ensures that evidence applied in practice is appropriate. This paper critiques the study conducted by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) by assessing various aspects of the study. Research Problem Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) conducted a pilot study to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and teamwork skills among healthcare and non-healthcare professionals. Although the investigators have not provided a heading for the research problem, they have clearly defined it in the article. The research problem is essential to the entire research since other aspects of the study are designed to align to and address the identified problem. A clearly defined problem enables researchers to formulate SMART objectives. Furthermore, the research problem provides the insights into the approach the study should take to address the issue to be investigated. Furthermore, the research problem is used in defining the appropriate data for achieving the research objectives. It is crucial in discriminating irrelevant data from relevant data. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) stated the research problem for their study. According to Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018), care delivery is a collaborative process that involves the participation of healthcare professionals and experts in other disciplines such as science, engineering, technology, and mathematics. Teamwork and emotional intelligence are essential skills to the .collaboration between healthcare professionals and non-healthcare experts. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) assert that there is no consensus on the impact of emotional intelligence on collaboration and teamwork. Therefore, there is the need to explore potential links between the variables to determine factors needed to develop collaborative competencies among health and non-healthcare professionals. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) identify domains of the collaboration between designs experts and healthcare workers. The domains have not been validated using empirical means. There is a research gap since Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) found that there is limited literature on interprofessional education and practice in the healthcare sector. Literature Review The literature review examines existing evidence on a given topic. It includes the description, summary, and analysis of previous studies on the topic being investigated. The literature review demonstrates how the research by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) is relevant within healthcare as a field of study. By reviewing existing knowledge, researchers improve their understanding of a given topic to be investigated. The literature review enabled Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) to identify research gaps. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) indicated that there is very limited literature examining interprofessional education and practice in the healthcare sector. Additionally, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) found that the domains of the collaboration between healthcare and non-healthcare professionals have not been validated empirically. The gaps identified by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) were realized through the review of several previous studies. The amount of literature examined by the investigators is sufficient to validate the research problem. Previous works examined by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) demonstrate the importance of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare. Literature also explains the importance of emotional intelligence and teamwork in enhancing the effectiveness of the collaboration between healthcare professionals and non-healthcare experts. Through the literature review, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) were able to identify that previous research has been unable to validate various aspects of interprofessional collaboration empirically. Theoretical Framework Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) did not provide a specific theory that supports their study. However, they explained concepts described by other researchers to theorize a model underlying their investigation. The study is founded on the theory that emotional intelligence is associated with teamwork and both of their influence collaborative process involved in the association between health professionals and non-healthcare experts. Under the theoretical framework, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) classified teamwork and emotional intelligence among invisible skills, which improve technical and generic skills during collaborations. The framework indicates that emotional intelligence influences behavioral and professional outcomes in the healthcare sector. Furthermore, emotional intelligence enhances team harmony while teamwork improves job performance. The theoretical framework of Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) holds that enhancing emotional intelligence improves teamwork among interprofessional teams. This framework fits the research problem for this study since it includes all the variables studied by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018). Since the study is quantitative, formulating a theoretical framework was a plus for the investigators. Objective and Hypothesis Objective outlines that outcome the study should achieve. On the other hand, the hypothesis is an informed guess that attempts to explain a given phenomenon. Both objectives and hypothesis provide the direction with investigators should take to address the research problem. For instance, the hypothesis that focuses on the presence or absence of an association between two variables demands the investigators to conduct a correlational analysis. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) aimed to examine the effectiveness of an interprofessional activity for industrial engineering and nursing undergraduate students. The second objective was to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence and teamwork. The hypothesis Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) used to achieve these objectives states that an improvement in emotional intelligence, teamwork, attitude, and empathy is realized after attending an interprofessional workshop. The second hypothesis states that emotional intelligence and empathy have a positive correlation with teamwork. These hypotheses are clearly stated. Furthermore, they can be tested since it includes variables that can be measured and analyzed. To determine the impact of the workshop on emotional intelligence, teamwork, attitude, and empathy, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) can compare pre-workshop and post-workshop scores of these variables. Quantitative data on emotional intelligence and teamwork can be analyzed to determine the nature of their association. Design The research design is a blueprint that defines the methods and procedures to be used by investigators for collecting, measuring, and analyzing data to address the research problem, objective, and hypothesis. The design must be consistent with the research problem and hypothesis for the study to be effective. A clear statement of the research problem is essential to the success of the study. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) stated their research problem clearly in the methods section. Their study used a quasi-experimental research design to facilitate data collection, measurement, and analysis. Quasi-experimental designs are used in research to test causal or correlational hypotheses (White & sa, 2014). Like experimental designs, quasi-experimental designs involve the manipulation of the independent variable to determine the impact on the dependent variable (Suresh, 2014). The data collected can be analyzed to determine correlations among variables among other tests. According to Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018), the quasi-experimental design lacks random assignment, a control group, or both. The quasi-experimental design is appropriate for answering the research problem and hypothesis. The participation in the workshop has an impact on the emotional intelligence awareness and level. The change in emotional intelligence and other variables investigated by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) was used to perform the analyses for addressing the research problem and hypotheses. The investigators formulated inclusion criteria that industrial engineering and nursing students aged 18 years and above. The selection of study participants can be a threat to the internal and external validity when not conducted in an inappropriate manner. The lack of exclusion criteria in the study by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) may result in participants who cannot provide valid responses to facilitate analysis. Sample The sample used in a study to collect data is among the key factors affecting the validity and reliability of research findings. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) used a sample of 42 undergraduate students, among which 34 were third-year industrial engineering students and 8 were second-year nursing students. The difference between the two groups of students is large and may not be representative of the total student population of the university. Since the Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) have not provided the name of the university and the student population of the institution, determining the representativeness of the sample is difficult. However, the sample size is small but may be convenient for the pilot study conducted by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018). Variables Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) described the variables they used to facilitate their study. Variables include perceived emotional intelligence, active empathic listening, emotional empathy, perceive interprofessional education, and perceived teamwork skills. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) did not specify which variables are independent or dependent. However, the independent and dependent variable can be identified from the hypotheses. The case-based interprofessional workshop is the dependent variable while the other variables are independent. These variables are appropriate for addressing the research problem and hypotheses. The first and second hypotheses are captured by the variables. The second hypothesis is about the association between emotional intelligence and teamwork skills among interprofessional teams. The correlation can be determined using data collected on the variables. The variables need to be measured to facilitate analysis. The quantitative approach to measuring the variables is appropriate since it facilitates the tests for supporting or disputing the hypothesis. Data Collection Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) used previously validated questionnaires to collect data. The researchers provided a detailed description of the data collection instrument they used. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) described the variables along with their instrument, method of measurement and corresponding Cronbach’s Alpha level. A description of the components of the instrument for each variable was provided by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018). The questionnaires used in the study have been approved by research boards and used in previous studies. Their approval and application in previous studies indicate that they have a high reliability and validity. The data collected using the instruments are reliable since there are consistent with the variables studied by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018). The use of questionnaires was appropriate given the hypotheses and kind of variables of the study. Filling the questionnaires facilitated the determination of the scores of participants in each variable. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) explained the process of collecting data from the undergraduate student right from the recruitment to debriefing them after the completion of the activity. Furthermore, the investigators described the components of the workshop and the duration it lasted. Investigators should not influence the outcome of a study. Instead, they should control the conditions of the study to ensure that the data collected is reliable and valid. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) included course instructors and external collaborators, who had experience in facilitating interprofessional training. This way, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) ensured that they do not influence participants’ response to the questionnaires. Data Analysis and Results Quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to analyze data obtained from the participants. SPSS version 23 was used to analyze quantitative data. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) used multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to analyze the effect of the intervention on emotional intelligence and teamwork skills of the participants. This technique was appropriate for testing the first hypothesis. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) used Pearson’s correlation to test the second hypothesis, which examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and teamwork. Therefore, the quantitative data analysis techniques used by Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) were appropriate for answering the research questions. After completing the questionnaires, the participants provided qualitative feedback. Therefore, theme analysis was appropriate in the study since it facilitated the interpretation of the qualitative data. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) provided a detailed process of conducting the thematic analysis of the feedback. The results of the study indicate that the participants already had high levels of empathy and emotional intelligence. Repeated MANOVA showed that there is no difference in emotional intelligence, empathy, attitude toward interprofessional education, and teamwork skills before and after the workshop. However, Pearson’s correlation indicated that there is a correlation between emotional intelligence and teamwork skills. The interprofessional workshop was effective since the correlation coefficient after the workshop was higher. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) found a positive correlation between teamwork and active empathic listening and between teamwork and emotional intelligence. The findings of Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) answer the research question addressing the problem under investigation. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) noted that the lack of consensus on the association between teamwork and emotional intelligence. Their findings provide an alternative to the association. The first hypothesis is rejected while the second hypothesis is supported by the findings of Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018). Thematic analysis indicates that the participants support the inclusion of interprofessional collaboration in healthcare education and practice. The qualitative findings are clearly and in a logical manner. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) used tables to present the results of the data analysis. The tables are clear. The contents of the tables are understandable. For instance, Table 3 in the result section clearly indicates the scores of the participants in each variable before and after the workshop. The Pearson’s Correlation table is also understandable since it is easy to understand the nature and strength of correlation between emotional intelligence and teamwork skills. Discussion and Interpretation of Findings Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) begin the discussion of their findings by stating the objectives of their study. This way, they were able to organize the discussion logically. They use the objectives to organize the discussion section into subheadings. Therefore, the discussion fits the data and results of the study. In the discussion, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) compared their findings with the results of previous studies. A discussion of the evidence from previous studies enabled the investigators to ensure the consistency of their findings with existing knowledge. Furthermore, relating their findings with existing evidence enabled Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) to determine methodological improvements to the study. For instance, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) noted that longitudinal design would provide better results. The discussion was also consistent with the theoretical framework since it explains the positive correlation between emotional intelligence and teamwork among interprofessional teams. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) discussed limitations to their study. The sample size was small, thereby, preventing the comparison between the two groups. The comparison can provide insights into the significance of emotional intelligence in interprofessional collaboration. Furthermore, the small population also reduces the reliability of the study findings. The duration of the workshop was limited and could not provide adequate exposure to interprofessional interactions. The reliability of the findings is questionable due to the bias characterizing self-reporting used in data collection. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) did not have control over the prior exposure to the study variables, which may have affected the external validity of data collected from the participants. The relevance of nursing research in nursing is influenced by its applicability in practice. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) discussed how emotional intelligence and teamwork is relevant to improving care delivery in the healthcare sector. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) also explain how interprofessional collaboration in healthcare is crucial to service delivery. Emotional intelligence and teamwork are key factors that improve the effectiveness of the collaboration between health professionals and non-health professions. Ethical Considerations Research studies involving the collection of data from human subjects are sensitive and should uphold ethical principles. Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) specified the ethical considerations of their study. First, the participation in the study was voluntary, indicating that participants were not coerced into providing data. Voluntary participation ensured that Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) upheld the autonomy of the participants. The investigators obtained the informed consent of the participants, thereby, indicating that they were not deceived into being part of the study. Furthermore, Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) indicate that they proceeded with data collection after obtaining the approval of research review boards. The approval indicates that Lee, Bristow & Wong (2018) complied with ethical standards of research. Application to Public Health The sample used in the study is not representative of the interprofessional groups in the healthcare sector. The proportion of nursing and industrial engineering students is not representative of the practice settings. However, interprofessional workshops are common in the practice setting. Designing processes, the infrastructure, and services demands collaboration between health professionals and non-health experts. The findings of the study can be applied in practice. The incorporation of interprofessional collaboration in nursing education and practice requires fee changes to the curricula and culture and practices of healthcare organizations. Conclusion The study was relevant since it addresses a research gap and provides insights into the importance of emotional intelligence in improving the teamwork among interprofessional teams in the healthcare sector. The research problem, theoretical, objectives, and hypotheses are clearly stated and consistent. The methods used in the collection, measurement, and analysis of data are appropriate and consistent with the research problem. The findings indicate that emotional intelligence has a positive correlation with teamwork skills in interprofessional teams, which are common and significant in the healthcare sector. The limitations of the study reduce the reliability and validity of the findings. Future research should focus on making changes to address the weaknesses and improve outcomes. References Lee, C., Bristow, M., & Wong, J. C. (2018). Emotional Intelligence and Teamwork Skills Among Undergraduate Engineering and Nursing Students: A Pilot Study. Journal of Research in Interprofessional Practice and Education, 8(1). Read More