The research design will indicate the best data to be collected. The tools that we use to collect data need to be reliable and valid. Define these terms with respect to research, and explain why they are important. NR 439 Week 5 Discussion – Data Collection and Measurement

The research design will indicate the best data to be collected. The tools that we use to collect data need to be reliable and valid. Define these terms with respect to research, and explain why they are important.

NR 439 Week 5 Discussion – Data Collection and Measurement

In relation to research, the process of collecting data is essential to develop a valid result. Depending on the type of research being conducted, they could most likely be survey-based, but according to the Chamberlain week 5 lesson, “Variables must be expressed as numbers in order to analyze them statistically…” (Chamberlain, 2018). The term validity, according to Houser, is “the ability of an instrument to consistently measure what it is supposed to measure,” while reliability is “a reflection of the consistency with which the instrument records the measure” (Houser, 2018, pg. 224) With regards to the tools utilized for data collection, “The reliability and validity of an instrument are the most important characteristics, and they should be documented in the research report. Using an existing instrument is desirable for its efficiency and the capacity to provide a comparison with existing studies” (Houser, 2018, pg. 224). With these tools, it would be ideal for controls to be conducted to evaluate the consistency of data before utilizing the instrument during the study to ensure reliability and validity.

Consider data collection and measurement methods for your nursing clinical Explain how you would collect data and what measurement methods you would use.

For my nursing clinical issue of reducing non-action-required alarms from occurring on a telemetry floor, the method of collecting data would be to observe the number of times the alarms went off during a one-week period without modifications to the settings and document the frequency of how often they were instances of artifact or instances of Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Then the next week, we would modify methods of monitoring our telemetry monitors, such as applying new leads and ensuring placement is correct with each patient, and with certain rhythms that patients may be displaying, we would tweak the preset alarm settings and see if there is a reduction of non-action required alarms. The modification of lead placement would likely reduce the number of times the monitor alarmed for artifacts, and in relation to rhythms, tweaks such as lowering the heart rate threshold for patients with asymptomatic bradycardia from less than 60 to less than 50 would ensure that when the patient was a worrisome low, we would be notified and can alarm the physician. Then by monitoring the number of times the monitor alarmed during this period of time, we could compare whether the monitor adjustments were beneficial or irrelevant to aiding in the reduction of non-action required alarms. In the article Reducing Interruption Fatigue through Improved Alarm Support, they set alarms for life-threatening rhythms such as “asystole, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, extreme tachycardia, extreme bradycardia, apnea, and oxygen desaturation” (pg. 111). Ultimately, from the results I read, they were able to reduce the alarms by up to 25% by altering the settings per patient. So hopefully, my study will result in the same way.

References:

Houser, J.  (2018). Nursing research reading, using and creating evidence, (4th ed).     Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett.

American Nurses Association. (2014). Fast facts: The nursing workforce 2014: Growth, salaries, education, demographics & trends. ANA.