Data analysis and critical appraisal of evidence

Nurse Research

Verifying Evidence in Nursing Research

The extreme importance in nursing research of verifying and validating both observations and the inferences drawn from them is made clear in the readings assigned for this section, and is also easily demonstrable in nursing practice. As I began an investigation into the potential resources for conducting research at my place of nursing practice -- both access to previously and currently conducted research publications as well as to other individuals that have more experience and knowledge regarding research methods, practices, and effects -- I realized that I was pretty much at a loss as to how to implement research designs in a practical manner. These practicalities are directly related to the observation and interpretation of data, as my interviews made clear; environment itself is a major factor in the reliability of studies for numerous medical and human reasons.

The data analysis resources available to me, I realized, are quite extensive, and can be used in numerous ways. Most essential is the continued input of more senior nurses that have greater levels of experience with research design and implementation, as they can provide not only directly applicable and practical advice but can also point out resources such as other research articles, new theoretical constructs and designs, and essentially serve as interactive research guides on many levels. Other data analysis resources, such as previous studies, established theoretical constructs and analysis tools, and similar resources will also be of great value in conducting any specific research, of course, but it is through discussion and the seeking of advice that the most effective tools and previous research can be found.

Though I have never had the opportunity to truly work with a data expert on a specific piece of nursing research, one of my colleagues that I was able to interview has worked on a variety of research projects and has a strong knowledge both of statistical models and practices as well as specific nursing research practices, theoretical constructs, and validity measures. The insights that this individual shared did not provide complete clarity on the subject -- far from it, in fact -- but rather opened up many new areas of questions and considerations that I had not previously even known to ask or consider. It is in this area that human research resources, i.e. nurses that have been there before, are especially important, as they can provide new avenues of thinking and investigation in a way that research articles, textbooks, and other similar pieces of knowledge and literature simply cannot.