Nursing Research Tutorial - Essay Example

Nursing research ial Introduction Nursing research is a research which provides evidence used in supporting nursing practices (Polit & Beck, 2010). Nursing education puts substantial emphasis on the use of evidence from various researches. This is for the purpose of rationalizing nursing interventions. The main objective of nursing research is to report any empirical finding from the highest quality basic as well as clinical research focused on understanding illness experience and health (Polit & Beck, 2010). It welcomes integrative reviews of recent development in basic translational research and biological sciences relevant to emerging issues of nursing science. Research on nursing usually falls mainly into two areas. These are qualitative research and quantitative research. Quantitative research has its basis on the paradigm of logical positivism, and it focuses on outcomes for clients which are measurable (Polit & Beck, 2010). These are generally statistics. On the other hand, qualitative research as its basis on grounded theory, phenomenology and ethnography among others (Polit & Beck, 2010). It takes into consideration of those involved in delivering the nursing care, putting more emphasis on the meaning which it holds for the individual. There are set guidelines, as well as procedures that assist the participants of nursing research to carry out an effective research. Embracement of these guidelines and procedures will help in protecting the participants as they carry out their research, as well as practice. Legal and Ethical Issues Legal and ethical issues involve the requirements of participants on their daily work. It takes into consideration the protection of dignity with regard to the information publication in the research. Nevertheless, when nurses participate in any research, they have to put up with the society, nursing practices, and science (Sawatzky-Dickson & Clarke, 2008). The main legal and ethical issues during nursing research include informed consent, beneficence, respect for confidentiality and anonymity and respect for privacy. Informed consent is one of the main ethical issues in conducting nursing research. It is one of the means that enhance protection of the right of the patient to autonomy. It involves the ability for determination, with respect to a personal plan (Sawatzky-Dickson & Clarke, 2008). When it comes to beneficence, it includes professional mandate to carry out a significant and effective research for the purpose of serving and promoting the welfare of the constituents. This implies that the nurses should conduct their research with a lot of care to prevent harming the people that they encounter during the research process (Polit & Beck, 2010). On respect for confidentiality and anonymity, it is true that there is s close connection with respect for the dignity, rights of beneficence and fidelity. This implies that the nurses undertaking the research should respect any confidential information that they encounter (Polit & Beck, 2010). Giving out confidential information to other parties is betrayal and hence considered unethical in the field of nursing research. On respect for privacy, participants of nursing research should protect private information of the patient. They should not share private information such as attitudes, opinions, beliefs and records, without the knowledge of consent of the patient (Sawatzky-Dickson & Clarke, 2008). IRB Guidelines An institution Review Board (IRB) protects the rights, as well as the welfare of people in a given research. The IRB usually reviews plans for research concerning human subjects (Polit & Beck, 2010). The board has the responsibilities of approving, monitoring, and reviewing behavioral research, which involves humans. In most cases, the board conducts risk benefit analysis for the purpose of determining the feasibility of a particular research. The IRB aims at protecting the human subjects from either physical or psychological harm. The IRB guidelines take into consideration the risk, data security and informed consent. On risks, the participants should identify possible risks and find a way to mitigate (Polit & Beck, 2010). On data security, the participants should protect the data so that the board can approve the research. When it comes to translation, the participants have to submit the documents such as forms, surveys and questionnaires. Lastly, the researcher should consider the best method of getting informed consent such as literacy level and confidentiality concern (Maas, Kelley, Park, Specht, 2009). Procedures of Protection It is a fact that scientific research is the key to the development of nursing career as a professional discipline for the purpose of ensuring that they highest as well as the most cost effective services within the society. Taking this into consideration, protection is required for all the participants in the nursing researcher to order to ensure that the they are safe in all aspects. With regard to this, there are procedures for protection (Polit & Beck, 2010). In order to protect the participants during nursing research, the participants should obtain the consent to take part in the research from his or her legal representative or prospective subject. There is an expectation of new free as well as informed consent for the purpose of incorporating the various entities (Polit & Beck, 2010). These entities include procedures to be followed, their purposes, description of risk or discomfort, any threat to dignity, any invasion of privacy, and the various methods applied in order to protect anonymity while ensuring confidentiality (Sawatzky-Dickson & Clarke, 2008). In addition to the above, the subject requires require description regarding any benefit related to the development of new knowledge as a result of research. The subject needs to discuss other procedures, which can be advantageous to the participants. Embracement of all these procedures will ensure that ensure protection of human rights if all the participants involved in the nursing research. This in turn will ensure that the participants carryout their research efficiently for the betterment of themselves as well as the society at large (Polit & Beck, 2010). Special Considerations for At-risk Populations At-risk population refers to those individuals that are highly susceptible to the harmful effects of a research (Sawatzky-Dickson & Clarke, 2008). At-risk population needs various approaches, which allow the prevention as well as intervention which are realistic and correspond to prevailing research, needs of the culture and circumstances. In the current society, the at-risk population is increasing at a significant rate irrespective of whether it is ethical or not for them if used as subject areas. Under this category, at-risk population is not able to protect their own rights, as well as welfare. Therefore, at-risk population includes prisoners, institutionalized, students, mentally ill, poor, dying and people with learning disabilities (Maas, Kelley, Park, Specht, 2009). The different opinions regarding participation of the at-risk population in nursing research is an s result of their inability to provide informed consent. In addition, this group has the inability to give their need for further protection as well as sensitivity from the participants as they are in a significant risk of deception or forced participation (Maas, Kelley, Park, Specht, 2009). This, therefore, calls for special consideration to ensure that researchers should not take advantage of these people. Conclusion Nursing research plays a significant role in the development of the nursing field. This leads to the improvement of services offered to patients. Considering this, it is true that these guidelines can significantly help in protecting the rights of participants in nursing research. References Maas, M. L., Kelley, L. S., Park, M., & Specht, J. P. (2009). Issues in conducting research in nursing homes. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 24(4), 373-89. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/214025798?accountid=28844 Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2010). Nursing research: Principles and methods. Philadelphia, Penns: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Sawatzky-Dickson, D., & Clarke, Diana E,PhD., R.N. (2008). Increasing understanding of nursing research for general duty nurses: An experiential strategy. The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing, 39(3), 105-9; quiz 110-1. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/223311624?accountid=28844 Read More