Nursing Paper Example on Impact of a Sepsis Educational Program on Nurse Competence

Does the title clearly state the problem, variables and population under study?

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Yes. The title Impact of a Sepsis Educational Program on Nurse Competence clearly outlines the problem, variable, and population under study. The problem being studied in nurse competence, the variables of interest are sepsis educational program (independent variable) and nurse competence (dependent variable) while the population being studied is nurses.

Does the abstract clearly and concisely summarize the main features of the report?

A good abstract must identify the research questions, the methodological approaches used to address the research questions, the findings of the study, and the implications for nursing practice. The current study identified the methods employed in the study as well as the findings of the study. However, the research questions and implications for nursing practice were not mentioned in the report. Therefore, the abstract is not a clear and concise summary of the main features of the report.

Is the problem statement clear?

Though not explicitly stated, the problem statement is: nurses inadequate knowledge and tools deemed crucial for early identification and care for victims of sepsis. The problem statement is not easy to locate and is not clearly stated. The problem statement builds a persuasive argument for the present study by providing indicating the morbidity and mortality statistical data associated with delayed diagnosis of sepsis due to nurses incompetence to identify the disease.

Does the investigator identify key research questions and variables to be examined?

Yes. Three research questions were used in the study. The variables in the research questions included posttest knowledge, post educational program competence scores, knowledge of sepsis, sepsis education program, and nurses competence.

Is the significance (importance) of the study discussed?

Yes. Even though the significance of the study was not explicitly stated, it can be inferred by checking the introduction section. The author stated that targeted, goal-directed, time-sensitive therapies have a potential to assist healthcare practitioners in early diagnosis of patients with sepsis and in implementation of evidence-based medical interventions. Such interventions reduces high mortality rates and severe morbidity rates associated with delayed treatment of the disease.

Does the study have the potential to help solve a problem that is currently faced in clinical practice?

Yes. Currently, there is evidence delayed treatment of sepsis increases the risk of mortality by 7.6% every hour. Late treatment has been linked to nurses lack of knowledge needed to identify patients with sepsis promptly and initiate early evidence-based medical interventions. Therefore, imparting nurses with relevant skills will be of great help in their diagnosis of the condition.

Is the purpose of the study presented?

Yes. The purpose statement was worded correctly. That is the key variables (sepsis educational program and nurses competence). The population of interest (nurses) is stated.

Does the investigator provide a sense of what he or she is doing and why?

Yes. The researcher presented the reasons why he conducted the study. The researcher wants to know if sepsis educational program can improve nurses competence in diagnosis and treatment of sepsis. The investigator is carrying this research with the hopes that its findings will help reduce high mortality rates associated with late diagnosis and treatment of sepsis.

Are research questions explicitly stated?

Yes. The research questions are clearly outlined with variables identifiable in each of the three research questions. The first reserch question seeks to establish whether a difference exist between knowledge of sepsis prior to and after the sepsis educational program. The variables in this research question include knowledge of sepsis and sepsis education program. The second research question examines the difference the participants self-assessed competence scores prior to and after the sepsis educational program. The variables include competence scores and the sepsis educational program. The third research question examines the relationship between the posttest knowledge scores and participants posteducational program competence scores.

If not, is their absence justified?

The research questions are present.

Does the literature review follow a logical sequence leading to a critical review of supporting and conflicting prior work?

Yes. The researcher provided a brief literature review of past studies examining the impact of an educational program targeted for nurses knowledge outcomes. Reviewed literature supports the high efficacy of educational strategies using high-fidelity medical simulation.

Is the relationship of the study to previous research clear?

No. Even though the author found research literature supporting high efficacy of educational strategies in treatment of sepsis, the relationship is not clear because only few studies examining the impact of a particular educational program targeted for nurses self-assessed competence were found. Additionally, the researchers did not find research literature for two of the three research questions. Specifically, literature examining the difference the participants self-assessed competence scores prior to and after the sepsis educational program was not found. Also, literature examining the relationship between the posttest knowledge scores and participants posteducational program competence scores was not found.

Does the investigator describe gaps in the literature and support the necessity of the present study?

Yes. Gaps in the literature were identified. For example, the literature review found few studies examining the impact of an educational program targeted for nurses knowledge outcomes, meaning that this field is underexplored. Moreover, there are no studies examining the association between sepsis educational programs for nurses in caring for patients suffering from sepsis. This necessitated the current study.

Does the study have an identified theoretical or conceptual framework?

No. The concepts discussed in the study are not based on any nursing theory and, therefore, theoretical framework has not been used. The authors did not also use conceptial maps to visually represent the relationships among variables or concepts being studied and, therefore, conceptual framework was not used.

Did the author(s) state assumptions of the study? If so, what are they?

Yes. There are assumptions in the study but in not explicitly stated or clearly delineated in a separate hypotheses section. In such cases, hypotheses can be inferred by checking the type of statistical analysis conducted (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2014). To answer the first research question, one-tailed paired t test was used. Therefore, the hypothesis related to this research question is: There is no statistically significant improvement in pre-knowledge and postknowledge scores of subjects in the four online didactic modules. To address research question 2, a paired t-test was also used. Therefore, the hypothesis related to this research question is: There is no statistically significant difference in NCS total or individual domain scores. . To address research question 3, a spearman correlation analysis was conducted. Therefore, the hypothesis related to this research question is: There is no statistically significant relationship among the posttest competency scores and the postknowledge scores.

Did the author(s) state one or more hypotheses be tested in the study?

Yes. The study does not formally present the hypotheses of the study but can be inferred from the type of analysis conducted to address each of the research questions in the study.

Is the hypothesis stated precisely and in a form that permits it to be tested?

Yes. Even though the study did not explicitly state the hypotheses, a look at the research questions and the type of statistical analysis conducted enables one to identify the hypotheses implied. The statistical analysis conducted permit the researchers to address the implied hypotheses.

Is the hypothesis derived from a stated theoretical/conceptual framework?

The study does not have a theoretical framework as well as a conceptual framework. Therefore, the implied hypotheses are not derived from either a theoretical framework or a conceptual framework.

Are the relevant variables clearly and operationally defined?

Yes. The specific way of measuring a variable ins a study is known as the operational definition (Polit, 2014) . The conceptual variables in the study was measured using several questionnaire. For instance, nurses self-assessed self-competence was measured using the Nurse Competence Scale (NCS). This is a self-reported 73-item instrument which assesses nurses perceptions of competence in seven domains.

Is the design clearly identified and described?

Yes. A quantitative, quasi-experimental design was used. In this design, the subjects were selected by means of purposive sampling and participants were not randomly assigned to groups. The design had an intervention, the Taming Sepsis Educational Program (TSEP).

Is the design appropriate for the research questions or hypothesis testing?

Yes. The data collected in this study are numerical and thus quantitative study is the most appropriate.

If an experimental design was used, what means were used to control for threats to internal and external validity?

An experimental design was not used. In an experimental design there is random selection of the subjects and random assignment of the subjects to groups. In the present study, purpsosive sampling was used to select participants. Because purposive sampling does not involve random selection, the study did not employ experimental design.

If an experimental design was used, was the assignment of subjects to experimental and control groups clearly described and appropriate?

An experimental design was not used.

If a nonexperimental design was used, what means were used to control for extraneous variables?

The pretest-posttest method ensures that the groups are equivalent in extraneous variables. Thie pretest-post test design act like a wuthin-subject design in true experimental design where the subjects are tested first under control condition and later on under the treatment condition.

Are the subjects and sampling methods described?

Yes. The subjects consisted of registered nurses who were finishing a one-year training in critical care and emergency. Purposive sampling techniques were used to select the subjects.

Is there an indication of how sample size was determined (was a power analysis performed before the study began)?

Yes. G*Power software was utilized in the determination of the sample size of not less than 64 with significance level being 0.05 statistical beta power being 0.08, and the effect size being 0.3, using a one-tailed t-test.

Is there adequate assurance that the rights of human subjects were protected?

Yes. To ensure that the welfare of research participants are protected, the study must get an approval of an Institutional Review Board which oversees research on human subjects. In the present study, the researchers sought approval from the appropriate institutional review boards before carrying out the research.

Did the authors conduct a pilot study?

No. Pilot study was not used in this study.

Are data collection methods sufficiently described?

Yes. The data collection methods were well-described. For example, the Nurse Competence Scale (NCS) used to assess self-assessed competence was of high quality. NCS had a Cronbachs alphas of 0.79 to 0.91. It was also found to have a good concurrent validity as tested using the 6-dimensional scale....