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Critical Research Appraisal Assignment
NUR501: Philosophical & Theoretical, Evidence-Based Research
Dr. Corzo-Sanchez
June 24, 2022
, 2
Critical Research Appraisal Assignment
Nursing research uncovers new knowledge to help build the foundation of clinical
practice. Research can help prevent diseases and disabilities, help manage symptoms, establish
new treatment plans and improve nursing skills. This is why nurses need to be able to participate
in and analyze research, as this can bring positive outcomes to their careers and the health of
their patients. There are two different types of research, quantitative and qualitative, that provide
information and data. For this assignment, I chose one qualitative research that focuses on the
stress and burnout experienced by nursing professionals and one quantitative analysis that
explores nurses’ knowledge regarding hand hygiene. Each study will be evaluated thoroughly
and analyzed.
Qualitative Research
The definition of qualitative research can be challenging. Qualitative research involves
collecting and analyzing non-numerical data to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences
(Morgan et al., 2021). This form of research explores deeper insights into real-world problems in
an emergent and holistic way. Qualitative data can be collected using various methods such as
interviews, focus groups, observations, and documentation analysis (Hoover, 2021). Qualitative
research has been used in nursing for many years, but it was not the first method used in nursing.
Before quantitative research, philosophical methods such as hermeneutics and phenomenology
were the only options for professional inquiry (Butts & Rich, 2017). However, it was changed to
qualitative research because its ways were incompatible with science. There are three major
approaches to qualitative research, (1) ethnography, based on anthropology, (2) phenomenology,
drawn from philosophy; and (3) grounded theory, drawn from sociology (Morgan et al., 2021).
The use of qualitative studies is common due to its many strengths, such as providing multiple
Critical Research Appraisal Assignment
NUR501: Philosophical & Theoretical, Evidence-Based Research
Dr. Corzo-Sanchez
June 24, 2022
, 2
Critical Research Appraisal Assignment
Nursing research uncovers new knowledge to help build the foundation of clinical
practice. Research can help prevent diseases and disabilities, help manage symptoms, establish
new treatment plans and improve nursing skills. This is why nurses need to be able to participate
in and analyze research, as this can bring positive outcomes to their careers and the health of
their patients. There are two different types of research, quantitative and qualitative, that provide
information and data. For this assignment, I chose one qualitative research that focuses on the
stress and burnout experienced by nursing professionals and one quantitative analysis that
explores nurses’ knowledge regarding hand hygiene. Each study will be evaluated thoroughly
and analyzed.
Qualitative Research
The definition of qualitative research can be challenging. Qualitative research involves
collecting and analyzing non-numerical data to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences
(Morgan et al., 2021). This form of research explores deeper insights into real-world problems in
an emergent and holistic way. Qualitative data can be collected using various methods such as
interviews, focus groups, observations, and documentation analysis (Hoover, 2021). Qualitative
research has been used in nursing for many years, but it was not the first method used in nursing.
Before quantitative research, philosophical methods such as hermeneutics and phenomenology
were the only options for professional inquiry (Butts & Rich, 2017). However, it was changed to
qualitative research because its ways were incompatible with science. There are three major
approaches to qualitative research, (1) ethnography, based on anthropology, (2) phenomenology,
drawn from philosophy; and (3) grounded theory, drawn from sociology (Morgan et al., 2021).
The use of qualitative studies is common due to its many strengths, such as providing multiple
