Are you a registered nurse but you feel discouraged to continue researching? You do not see the need to keep researching after you graduated from nursing school? Do you want to improve your patient care services but do not know how you can do it? This article will show you why you need research and how you can improve your nursing services.
How to maximize your research
Research brings out different versions of a variety of concepts that affect your actions as a nurse. Your best work will be visible when you explore different topics for nursing research and apply them in your practice. To reach your full potential and explore your limits inpatient care services you should incorporate your research findings into your practice.
As you carry out your nursing research, focus on the following four important aspects;
- Is the study accurate, legitimate, and valid in the modern world?
- Does your research subject have a connection with your topic, concept, or occurrence?
- Are the results consistent, credible, and scholarly?
- What conclusion did the researcher make and how does relate to your study?
You need to consider that not all studies will be helpful or relevant for your patient, topic, question, concern, and situation. Even as you research, you should be able to make your own unbiased conclusion without discrediting the research. Identify weaknesses, inconsistencies, and bias opinions from the research papers you go through.
Types of research used in nursing
Nursing is centered on evidence-based practice. This means that the final conclusion is based on the evidence presented in the research papers. Understanding the different categories of nursing research will help you interpret and analyze research results appropriately. Some of the types of nursing research include;
Qualitative research
The results of qualitative research are based on experiences, perceptions, and thoughts. Subgroups of qualitative research include;
- Historical research reviews a topic, subject, or the patient care services culture and traces it back into its history to show the development
- Ethnography analyzes how different cultural and social customs and practices affect and understand health
- Phenomenology bases its conclusions on the author's personal experiences and insights
- The grounded theory builds theories through responding to questions, observations, and problems
- Symbolic interactionism studies how communication patterns, personal interactions, and interpretations change health practices
Quantitative research
This type of research uses numbers, measurements, percentages and variables to convey the results of research. Some types of quantitative research are;
- Quasi-experimental research studies the cause-effect relationships between specific variables
- Descriptive research identifies characteristics of groups, individuals, or situations and gives new conclusions that can be made from the traits
- Correlational research studies the relationship between variables but does not give the cause-effect relationship
Each type of research has different information and a different outlook. They can all be used for coursework writing. They also have their benefits and limitations. This is why it is important to know them and their benefits.
How nursing research benefits patient care services
Nursing is a field that keeps changing and readjusting depending on technology and the availability of resources. Nursing research will help you advance your skills as you learn how to incorporate the new developments into your daily routine. As your skillset improves, it opens doors for career promotions and advancements which help you grow in your profession.
Regular nursing research helps you stay updated on current trends, developments, and information in the medical field. When new medicine and vaccines have successfully been created a nurse should be among the first people to know. This boosts your patient care services because you can advise your patients.
Learning how to navigate the new technology through experience-based research will allow you to serve your patients quickly and effectively. This means better patient care services since they won’t wait in line for too long before receiving help. As a nurse, you know how important time is when it comes to medical attention. Keeping a patient waiting for too long may cost them their life or bring about further complications that could have been avoided.
Sometimes you may encounter a patient with unique needs. Remember, each patient requires special attention to cater to their needs. A disabled patient is different from a patient in labor. Nursing research will help you learn how to cater to your patients depending on their special needs and their health needs. You can draw your own conclusion from different situations and apply your skills to suit the occurrence.
When a patient is suffering from multiple illnesses, it may be complicated trying to separate the symptoms. Other times, an existing illness might begin to mutate and adopt new characteristics. New health issues are always emerging and it is important to keep researching to know what is going on in the health field. This way, if you come across a patient with certain symptoms, you will know what they need and how to engine with them.
Disabilities caused by illnesses such as polio have been curbed by the invention and administration of vaccines. Through research, you can help prevent some disabilities and diseases. Knowing what your patient needs will improve your patient care services. Knowing what kind of diet, temperature, and modifications will suit your patients best can increase their chances of recovery.
Researching specific diseases or topics can help you understand the risks or effectiveness of treatments. This way, your patients can make informed decisions about what should be done. They will not be clueless and uninformed about what to expect as they go for treatment. This kind of patient care service will build their confidence in you and your hospital.
Concluding remarks
As a nurse, it is important to be in touch with current trends and occurrences in the world to improve your patient care services. This article has given you reasons to encourage you to research and improve your skills as a nurse.
