What is the number of musculoskeletal injuries reported by nurses after using patient lifting devices?

Respond to discussion

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All sources must be 5 years old or newer

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Please add to the discussion in your peer responses with informative responses, instead of posts similar to “great idea! I really agree with you.”

Each response needs to have a citation

 

POST 1 (Tina)

Evidence-Based Practice

Topic, Research Question and Justification

The problem of interest is the MSDs (Musculoskeletal Disorders) in nurses caused by manual patient lifting. According to my planned designed project, the questionnaires will be prepared to report musculoskeletal injuries among nurses, by them during the whole study program, in which patient lifting devices will be utilized. The statistically significant number of injuries as reported by nurses in the questionnaire will reveal if the patient lifting devices gave a positive result.

The comparative quantitative research questions are built to give a clear look to how patient lifting devices can reduce MSDs in nurses. The comparison of MSDs among the nurses using patient lifting devices and those doing manual patient lifting will justly reveal the true influence of patient lifting devices in reducing MSDs in nurses.  These quantitative comparative research questions are as follows:

• What is the difference in the number of musculoskeletal injuries between nurses using patient lifting devices and nurses lifting patients manually?
• What is the difference in the frequency of musculoskeletal injuries between nurses using patient lifting devices and nurses lifting patients manually?

Quantitative Research Methodology and Research Questions Benefits from Quantitative Studies

Within a quantitative research study, the variables are quantified and analyzed for results attainment. The numerical data is analyzed by implementing statistical tools to find answers to questions that ask specifically what, how many, where, and how much regarding a specific phenomenon or issue. According to Ponto (2015), the quantitative research questions are of three types that are descriptive, comparative, and relationship-based research questions. The following three types of research questions can be benefited by applying quantitative research methodology:

• How often the mobile apps are bought by consumers for fitness purposes? (Descriptive Question)
• What is the difference in the daily calorie consumption between men and women in U.S.? (Comparative Question)
• What is the relationship between salary and employee satisfaction amongst U.S residents? (Relationship-Based Question)

Studying Problem of Interest by Using Quantitative Research Methodology

The problem of interest is the problem of MSDs in nurses caused by manual patient lifting. To find out the influence of patient lifting devices on reducing musculoskeletal injuries in nurses, a quantitative study (Experimental Type) would be appropriate. The comparison of the number of injuries among the controlled and tested nurses, after using patient lifting devices for an adequate period, will reveal the true impact of patient lifting devices on nurses in reducing MSDs in them. The incidence of MSDs in nurses will be reported through an ongoing survey questionnaire.

Research Problem, Purpose Statement, Research Question, and Hypothesis

The research problem will specifically focus on the nursing issue and its negative impact on nursing practice. The problem statement will discuss barriers and facilitators for reducing MSDs in nurses and the research question will reveal the specific phenomenon or issue that is going to be researched. The hypothesis will be stated keeping clear variables (Patient lifting devices and MSDs) and the expected correlation among them.

Assumptions and Limitations

The study will be conducted in one caring unit of the hospital which is a limitation of this study, as a study conducted in all caring units will have more potential results applicable to all caring units or departments within the hospitals. It is also assumed that a reduction noted in MSDs in nurses after using patient lifting devices in one caring unit will also reduce MSDs in other caring departments.

Experimental or Non-Experimental Study

The study will be experimental as we want to explore the problem of MSDs in nurses by determining the true influence of patient lifting devices on reducing MSDs in nurses. The rationale for the chosen experimental study is that an experimental quantitative research study has the variables, hypothesis, and is conducted in a controlled environment (Leatherdale, 2019). Since this research study will be conducted in a controlled environment, (groups of controlled and tested nurses), with clarified variables (patient lifting devices and MSDs) along with a projected hypothesis, therefore, it will be an experimental study.

Types of Research Questions Answering Research Problem

The following research question can answer best the problem of interest of MSDs in nurses:

• What is the number of musculoskeletal injuries reported by nurses after using patient lifting devices?
• What is the number of musculoskeletal injuries reported by nurses, lifting patients manually?
• What is the frequency (daily, weekly or monthly) of musculoskeletal injuries reported by nurses using patient lifting devices?
• What is the frequency (daily, weekly or monthly) of musculoskeletal injuries reported by nurses, lifting patients manually?

References

Leatherdale, S. T. (2019). Natural experiment methodology for research: a review of how different methods can support real-world research. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 22(1), 19-35.

Ponto J. (2015). Understanding and Evaluating Survey Research. Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology, 6(2), 168–171.

 

 

POST 2(Lacey)

“Quantitative research is a very structured phase-by-phase, step-by-step process used to describe, explore, explain, and predict measurable conditions…This process provides us with clear answers to precise questions for a specified sample of participants” (Young & Langford, 2013). A research question that is based on specific criteria surrounding a group of participants makes up a good quantitative research problem.

The purpose of my research problem comes from noticing how infrequently ADLs are done by psychiatric patients on my unit. “The human body can provide places for disease-causing germs and parasites to grow and multiple…It is less likely that germs and parasites will get inside the body if people have good personal hygiene habits” (7, 2010, para 1). I believe that my research problem would be considered a predictive study, which is “designed to determine whether researchers can use the occurrence of a concept or concepts to predict changes in another” (Young & Langford, 2013). So my research question would be based as follows: If a psychiatric patient is offered a positive incentive to complete their ADLs, will the frequency rise in ADLs completed?  My hypothesis is that psychiatric patients who are provided with positive incentives to complete their ADLs will have increased participation in ADLs over psychiatric patients that are not given a positive incentive to complete their ADLs.

Some assumptions associated with my study is that I believe there will be an increase in participation of patients if a positive incentive is given. Some limitations would include deciding what kind of incentive to choose from and the inconsistent behaviors that psychiatric patients tend to have. I assume that my study would be considered an experimental study, because we would be providing an intervention to see whether that intervention “causes changes to the concept under study” (Young & Langford, 2013). Research questions that would benefit this study would be what kind of positive incentive is most appropriate for these patients? How often should the incentive be given? And what psychiatric diagnosis would be best tested with this study?

References

Young, A. & Langford, R. (2013). Making a Difference with Nursing Research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

7 personal hygiene (2010). Australian Government Department of Health. Retrieved from https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/ohp-enhealth-manual-atsi-cnt-l