DNP and Inquiry Methods

¶ … shifting research, or can search current literature to glean the why's and wherefores on a wide variety of subjects. In the case of medical research many times the appropriate design includes attempts to discern what exactly are the best methods for gathering evidence-based data that will have an impact on how practices, diagnosis and/or treatments are carried out. In fact, in 2003 the Institute of Medicine provided guidelines that a population-level approach to improving the public's health should be adopted by public health system organizations and that actions taken by those organizations are based on evidence (Committee, 2003).

An ongoing concern for the medical community is the rate of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI) prevalent in hospitals especially after Foley catheter use. Knoll et al. (2011) determined that Foley catheter (FC) use is a modifiable risk factor for hospital-acquired urinary tract infection, the most common type of nosocomial infection. Findings from Saint (2000) estimated that catheterized patients developed bacteriuria at a rate of 26% and that 24% of those patients who experienced bacteriuria also experienced symptoms of bloodstream infection. It would seem therefore, that Foley catheter use is at the very least a variable in whether a patient will acquire an infection during a hospital stay. Addressing this variable could result in lowered expenses and length of patient stays (or subsequent visits).

The Study

One simple method for addressing the above problem is by conducting research to determine if a reduction in the amount of Foley catheter use in a hospital setting will subsequently lower the number of patients contracting infections. A study such as this would most likely be designed to quantify the results. Reliability and validity of the study is essential for quantitative studies, with validity referring to the study measuring what it sets out to measure, and reliability referring to an evaluation of the data in a reliable manner. Reliability is determined by expecting the same results if research procedures are replicated. Reliability in this study is especially important because if lower incidences of infection occur over a period of time and it can be determined that the reason behind lower incidences can be directly attributed to lower Foley catheter usage, then it would likely make sense to only use Foley catheters when absolutely necessary. Validity is the determination of whether the study is actually measuring what is meant to be measured. In this specific case, the validity is important because there is only one variable being measured, whereas in most evidenced-based research a number of variables are usually present.