¶ … Nurses' Work Schedule Characteristics, Nurse Staffing, and Patient Mortality" (Trinkoff, et al. 2011 p 1). The authors argue that lower nursing staff level can lead to poor patients' outcome and poor care, however, higher nursing skills mix can assist in recording lower mortality rates. In overall, increase in a number of nursing staff is associated with improving patient outcome. The authors use the quantitative technique to collect data from 633 nurses working in different 71 acute non-federal hospitals in Illinois and North Carolina. The study also uses a generalized estimating equation to examine the hypothesis. The research examines whether the authors explicitly states the research questions or hypothesis.
Hypotheses or Research Questions
Analysis of the research reveals that the authors do not explicitly state the research questions, and the absence of the research questions is not justified because one of the main features of quality quantitative research is to state the research questions that authors attempt to answer. By stating the research questions, the readers will understand whether the authors have answered the research questions from the research findings. Moreover, stating the hypothesis is important in a quantitative research because it gives direction to a research. Thus, the hypothesis assists in the formulation of a research problem, which the authors attempt to solve.
While the authors state the hypothesis in the study, however, the hypothesis is not appropriately worded. The stated hypothesis in the study is as follows:
Hypothesis: "It was hypothesized that, in hospitals where nurses report more adverse work schedules, mortality rates will reflect poorer quality care". (Trinkoff, et al. 2011 p 2). Despite stating the hypothesis, the authors do not state the hypothesis in an appropriate format, which can make a reader missing the hypothesis. However, the authors state the study population that consists of 633 nurses working in non-federal hospitals. While variables are mentioned in the study and provide a clear specification of key variables, however, the authors do not explicitly mention the key variables, and only experienced readers can identify the variables in the study. Despite the shortcomings identified in the method used in stating the hypothesis, the hypothesis has been consistency...
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