From clinical practice, nursing students learn to recognize and identify clinical dilemmas. Although such dilemmas can inspire research projects, clinical dilemmas do not inherently represent research problems.
To create a focused research problem, practical dilemmas must be defined. Nursing thesis help can lend structured and methodological support during the identification of research problems, topic selection, research question formulation, literature review, choice of research methodology, and thesis writing.
Clearly Define the Clinical Dilemma
Dilemmas must be defined clearly and concisely.
Some examples can be:
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Errors in medication
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Falls of the patient
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Issues in communication
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Care that is delayed
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Inadequate patient education
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Prevention of infection
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Increased workloads of staff
Dilemmas must be defined at a level of specificity that they can be analyzed.
Establish Why the Dilemma is Significant
Dilemmas that are defined must be justified as worthy of research.
Dilemmas can be analyzed in terms of how they may impact:
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The safety of patients
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The quality and provision of care
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The experience of patients
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The practice of nursing
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The economy of the healthcare system
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The wellness of staff
Do Not Make Hasty Generalizations
Clinical dilemmas should be examined in terms of multiple potential explanations.
For example, errors in medication can be examined in terms of the communication of staff, a heavy workload, inadequate documentation, insufficient training, or inadequate organizational policies.
Research should consider multiple factors rather than attributing research findings to a single factor.
Review Existing Work
Conduct a literature review to see what is already known.
This will show you:
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The findings are established already.
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Alternative explanations
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Research gaps
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Appropriate interventions
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Limitation of existing research
Define the Population
This is the step that decides your target research group.
Populations that can be considered are:
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Patients
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Nurses
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Nursing students
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Interdisciplinary healthcare team members
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Family caregivers
Define the Setting
The context can change how a clinical issue is perceived.
Decide if your research relates to:
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Acute care settings
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Outpatient care
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Community care
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Long term care
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Home care
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Learning settings
Formulate the Research Question
The question is the objective of the study.
It must be:
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Narrow
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Able to be researched
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Pertinent
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Achievable
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Supported by the literature
Formulate Research Objectives
These are the sub-questions of the main question which will be researched.
These can be to find out the influences, the variables, the perceptions, or to assess the variable of interest.
Choose the Methodology
The question directs the study design.
Measurable variables lend themselves to a quantitative study.
A qualitative study is appropriate to the perceptions and experiences.
A mixed methods approach is also appropriate if the two types of evidence are necessary.
Evaluate Feasibility
Prior to the final question, consider:
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Access to the subjects
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Access to the data
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Duration
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Costs of research
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Ethics
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Practice of research
Confirm Ethics
This type of research usually has sensitive patient data.
Students must consider informed consent and the privacy of the patients along with the data and the safety of the participants.
This is a useful resource for nursing practice and research assignments, especially if the clinical issues are transformed into research questions.
This resource will also aid you with research gaps and literature reviews while helping you with academic writing.
Students are expected to adhere to the academic integrity policies established by their respective institutions.
Conclusion
Formulating a research question from a clinical problem entails a systematic process. The student should articulate the problem, determine the significance of the problem, evaluate the evidence, define the population and environment, formulate a precise question, and determine the research design.
Nursing Thesis Help offers organized clinical research question guidance, methodology, literature review, and thesis writing. Responsible assignment help can support nursing students with related research projects.
FAQs
What is a clinical research problem?
A clinical research problem is a specific research issue that can be investigated in the field of clinical health care.
How do I turn a clinical problem into a question?
To turn a clinical problem into a question, you must first clearly state the clinical problem. Next, review the literature, and identify the gaps in the literature to formulate a specific clinical research question.
Should my research question include a specific patient group?
If applicable, research questions should state a specific patient group.
Can a clinical problem have more than one research question?
A clinical problem can have one main research question and several related sub-research questions.
Can assignment help support nursing research questions?
Yes, responsible assignment help can provide support for clinical research questions, proposals, and nursing research writing.
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