Research proposal 2 - Essay Example

Research Question Nursing Research Methods NSG: 6101 Keynadomnicia Udenze Dr. Noreen Reding Problem ment Quality of care for the adult and elderly population is a major interest to me. Working in the community setting has made me aware of the importance of follow-up, communication between providers and patients, and education on medication. Many elderly patients’ are now taking medications as a ritual due to lack of education, they have forgotten the reason or action of the medications (Henriques, Costa, & Cabrita, 2012).

Patients do not follow life style modifications and sometimes live with unskilled caregivers who are not aware of the importance of diet and physical activity in controlling most illnesses.In Texas, a nurse practitioner who works with adult patients in their homes is mandated to see these patients between six months to a year depending on the sector. In private sectors, the nurse practitioners see the patients’ once a year, if the patient is in a home health they are seen by the physician or nurse practitioner on initial admission or at least in the last 90 days prior to admission (Hess, Lynn, Conforti, & Holmboe, 2011).

In federal or state sectors, the nurse practitioners visit is once a year or as needed. My problem statement is to research if increasing the frequency of nurse practitioners visits to patient in the community will help with management of hypertension.PICOT Question.“For adult patients 50 yrs. old or greater with hypertension, will increasing the Nurse practitioners visit from three times a year to every six weeks improve medication compliance and reduction in exacerbation of patients’ condition?

HypothesisResearch hypothesisIncreasing the number of visits made by nursing practitioners to aged patients with hypertension can be effective in enhancing the patients’ capacity to comply with medication and reduce exacerbation of patients’ condition.Null hypothesisThe number of visits by nursing practitioners to aged patients with hypertension has an effect on the patients’ compliance to medication.Variables with operational definitionsAged patients with hypertension – within the context of this research these are the participants of the study, are individuals aged between 50 and 75, diagnosed with hypertension, and are on medication.

Medication compliance – this is the capacity for the participants to continue taking the prescribed medication according to their physicians’ prescriptions without coercion to take medication.Exacerbation of patients’ conditions – this is the worsening of the hypertension, which is associated with the failure by patients to stick to the prescribed medicationStudy sample The sample will be selected for a population of men aged between fifty and seventy-five years of age. Individuals included within the research will be those diagnosed with hypertension and are under medication, which they are taking from their residence.

Hospitalized individuals under medication will not be included within the research sample, as the aspect of compliance to medication cannot be established. Because of the specificity of the desired sample, non-probability sampling will be utilized in selecting the study sample. Convenience sampling will be utilized as the researchers will only utilize the available individuals who meet the study requirements and who are willing to participate in the research. The sample will be relatively small and the will to participate remains necessary in seeking to ensure high response rate.

Methodology The study will follow a causal design because of the need to establish the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variables. This kind of research design allows the researchers to make informed conclusions regarding the effect of one variable of the study upon another variable. This research will be effective in the establishment of the effect of nursing practitioners’ visits (independent variable) on the patients’ compliance to medication (dependent variable) and exacerbation of patients’ condition (dependent variable).

These study designs commonly have greater confidence because of the internal validity established within the research. This is commonly achieved through the schematic selection of subject and the equity in the groups being compared. One fundamental limitation of the study remains the inability to prove causality due to the various extraneous and confounding variables that might exist within the social environment of the research.Extraneous variablesSome extraneous variables that might affect the study findings include the following;The residence of the individuals where some might have assistance from family members or individuals residing in nursing homes where they get assistance.

This might affect the findings of the research in measuring compliance to medication.Existence of other medical conditions that might have an effect on the functional capabilities of aged individuals who might be living alone.Random assignment of the sample into either group included in the research will be performed in seeking to reduce the amount of error that might occur because of extraneous variables.ReferenceHenriques, M. A., Costa, M. A., & Cabrita, J. (2012). Adherence and medication management by the elderly.

Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21(21-22), 3096–3105.Hess, B. J., Lynn, L. A., Conforti, L. N., & Holmboe, E. S. (2011). Listening to older adults: elderly patients’ experience of care in residency and practicing physician outpatient clinics. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 59(5), 909–915.