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Methodology

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Methodology

Research Method and Research Design:

Research methodology is a section which gives an outline of how data relating to nursing workload and patient safety will be collected. It involves the aspect of research design, research techniques, target population, sampling design and data analysis. When data is collected, it forms a significant part of the study. The reason is that it is through data collection that data will be analyzed, interpreted and discussed (Holden et al., 2011). Under the project for US nursing workload and patient safety, both qualitative and quantitative techniques will be used.

Qualitative research:

Qualitative research is a technique that uses exploratory research. It is used in developing an understanding of possible opinions and underlying reasons. The approach enables the provision of an insightful rationale to deal with crucial ideas relating to workload and patient safety in the US nursing system (Berland, Natvig & Gundersen, 2008).

Quantitative research:

Quantitative research is a technique which focuses on a systematic process of obtaining information through the description of variables. It involves the attributes of trying to quantify the problem at hand by the generation of numeric data that is availed using useable statistics (Robson & McCartan, 2016). An example is the case of increased number of patients who are assigned to a particular nursing team. Such a ratio increment of patients may lead to a case of increased bed-related falls and infections associated with line-associated bloodstream ailments.

It shows clearly that both approaches of either quantitative or qualitative research are essential to this study. Quantitative research can be said to be more appropriate considering the descriptive elements provided in the experiment. With the case of descriptive research employed as part of literature, there has been the application of descriptive theories which supports the case of increased population of the US transforming to increased nursing workload.

Population:

Target population presents an interesting component of the research study. Without the targeted population, there would be no particular collection of appropriate data. In this particular study, these includes the inpatients and aging population who are over 65 years old. Others are the nursing professionals found at the medical hospital and surgical units. Subsequent stages of qualitative studies will involve other targeted population of nursing staff including nursing aides, nursing technicians, and nursing staffs (Rogers et al., 2004).

Sampling frame:

Sampling frame entails the component of population parameters which forms the basis of the sample. In this research, a total of 60 respondents will be used as the study population. Out of these, there will be 25 nurses, 20 nursing aides, 6 technicians, and 9 nursing staffs. Nursing staffs include all other staff members found in a nursing care. These will create a meaningful part of the study since they are the majority of the respondents in undertaking this research (Rogers et al., 2004). The use of a purposive sampling will be presented to participants in trying to choose the study units which offer a diverse group. These would involve the team of nurses and nursing aid who are used to provide care to those patients who are highly dependent on specified nursing care.

Data collection:

Data will be collected by the application of appropriate strategies and tools for that role. Questionnaires and surveys will be part of the data collection methods. These involve the analysis of quantitative methods through the use of numerical values contained in the survey, like the use of Likert-scales. Results obtained will be easier to analyze. They will be used to collect data from other techniques employed in this research.

Once data has been collected, it would be entered into secondary databases. Appropriate instruments will be able to accomplish this by obtaining information relating to age, gender, and incidence of pressure sores, care-related quality and reason for admission. Other information relates to quality indicators of the management, absenteeism of nursing staff, catheter-related infection of the urinary track and the rate of nursing turnover (Cho, Ketefian, Barkauskas & Smith, 2003). Each unit would be calculated for the nursing workload indicator to identify the number of nursing providers. It will be expressed in the form of a ratio representing the average number of patients. Such an indicator will be stratified using the mean number of patients concerning the number of nurses on a daily basis.

The expression of data would be necessitated by the use of means, medians, standards deviations and interquartile ranges. These will be stored using Microsoft Excel worksheet for further analysis. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) is a software which will be used to analyze such data (Cho, Ketefian, Barkauskas & Smith, 2003). Similarly, there will be use and application of the generalized estimation equation method in the determination of associations which exists between nursing workload and patient safety-related indicators. The dependent variable will be set as nursing workload with the expression of the ratio of patient-to-provider. Dependent variables will be relating to patient safety indicators concerning care and management quality.

Data integrity:

There is the need to ensure the presence of data integrity in this work of research. Data integrity refers to a fundamental aspect relating to the security of information. Data collected must be accurate and consistent in the manner of storage to the database (Portney & Watkins, 2015). The technique for data integrity offers an environment where data recorded is done as intended, such that later retrieval would ensure getting the same data that was previously stored. It aims at preventing any unintentional changes that might corrupt original data.

Data analysis:

Data analysis is the mechanisms through which data which had been collected is analyzed. In this research study, this will be undertaken by the use of Excel tables and an SPSS software. The use of Excel offers an opportunity where quick analysis will be provided through the provision of spreadsheets available from the computer. Excel is considered among the easiest method of analyzing data (Cho, Ketefian, Barkauskas & Smith, 2003). Once data has been input in Excel, it becomes possible to explain it. Further analysis will lead to the production of charts, tables, figures and graphs among other symbols.

Analysis of data using SPSS software requires the use of statistical tests which are used to accompany data analysis. Appropriate statistical tests must be conducted in each case. Such an analysis offers the rationale of analyzing variables separately. Similarly, there is the comparative approach that involves multiple variables (Cho, Ketefian, Barkauskas & Smith, 2003). The effectiveness of SPSS is achieved owing to quality options, better output and efficient management of data. It becomes possible to ensure quality management of information in the most optimal manner. Similarly, it is quick to analyze data since the program provided by the software knows the variables which are used in data already in store.

References

Berland, A., Natvig, G. K., & Gundersen, D. (2008). Patient safety and job-related stress: a focus group study. Intensive and critical care nursing, 24(2), 90-97.

Cho, S. H., Ketefian, S., Barkauskas, V. H., & Smith, D. G. (2003). The effects of nurse staffing on adverse events, morbidity, mortality, and medical costs. Nursing research, 52(2), 71-79.

Holden, R. J., Scanlon, M. C., Patel, N. R., Kaushal, R., Escoto, K. H., Brown, R. L., ... & Karsh, B. T. (2011). A human factors framework and study of the effect of nursing workload on patient safety and employee quality of working life. BMJ quality & safety, 20(1), 15-24.

Portney, L. G., & Watkins, M. P. (2015). Foundations of clinical research: applications to practice. FA Davis.

Robson, C., & McCartan, K. (2016). Real world research. John Wiley & Sons.

Rogers, A. E., Hwang, W. T., Scott, L. D., Aiken, L. H., & Dinges, D. F. (2004). The working hours of hospital staff nurses and patient safety. Health affairs, 23(4), 202-212.