RESEARCH QUESTIONS, REVIEW OF LITERATURE, AND NURSING THEORY

Learning Outcomes
1. Identify a priority research topic relevant to an issue in clinical practice.
2. Formulate a research proposal problem statement, a research question, and research variables.
3. Employ search strategies and databases to find credible resources and conduct a quality literature review.
4. Explain the relationship between theory, research, and nursing practice.
Introduction
In last week’s discussion, you shared perspectives on priority research issues in your clinical practice. This week, you will continue to investigate the issue, which you will develop into a topic for the Research Proposal, to learn more about the significance of the problem to nursing. We will explore the Ashford University Library and other resources that are available to assist in performing a quality literature review and searching for evidence. After gathering evidence, you will begin the first phase of the Research Proposal, and you will formulate a problem statement and a research question and identify relevant research variables. We will also examine the relationship between theory and research and nursing practice.
Required Resources
Text
Schmidt, N., & Brown, J. (2015). Evidence-based practice for nurses: Appraisal and application of research (3rd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
• Chapter 3: Identifying Research Questions
• Chapter 4: Finding Sources of Evidence
• Chapter 5: Linking Theory, Research, and Practice
Articles
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2006, March 16). Position statement on nursing research. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/nursing-research
• This article summarizes AACN’s (accrediting body for BSN and graduate programs in nursing) position on nursing research. This article will be valuable to your completion of the discussion and written assignment for this week and also to your completion of the Research Proposal due Week Four.
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Connelly, M. L. (2014). Use of theoretical frameworks in research. MEDSURG Nursing, 23(3), 187-188. Retrieved from http://www.medsurgnursing.net/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MSNJournal.woa
• The full-text version of this article is available through the EBSCOhost database in the Ashford University Library. This article provides a brief research roundtable report discussing use of theoretical frameworks in nursing research. The article provides knowledge that will be valuable when you complete this week’s assignment, The Research Problem, and will also inform your Research Proposal due Week Four.
Web Page
National Institute of Nursing Research. (n.d.). Implementing NINR’s strategic plan: Key themes. Retrieved from https://www.ninr.nih.gov/aboutninr/keythemes#.VsimN9BX
• As the title indicates, this web page shares ideas and provides guidelines pertaining to the implementation of the NINR Strategic Plan. You are required to read and process this material as part of the week’s assignment, The Research Problem.
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Supplemental Materials
Ashford University Library. (n.d.). NUR306: Nursing Research: Conducting Research Using the CINAHL Database. Ashford University, College of Health, Human Services, and Science, San Diego, CA.
• This tutorial provides guidelines and demonstration to help students access databases related to nursing and conduct a keyword search for current nursing research reports using the CINAHL Database.
National Institute of Nursing Research. (2011). Bringing science to life: NINR strategic plan [PDF file]. Retrieved from https://www.ninr.nih.gov/sites/www.ninr.nih.gov/files/ninr-strategic-plan-2011.pdf
• This document identifies theme categories that delineate priorities for nursing research. You are required to read and process this document as part of this week’s assignment, The Research Problem.
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Recommended Resources
Multimedia
Jones & Bartlett Learning. (2014). Lesson 2: Identifying Research Questions [Class lecture slides]. In Nursing Research.
• This presentation summarizes key elements of the week’s textbook readings and will assist you in the week’s assignments.
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Jones & Bartlett Learning. (2014). Lesson 3: Finding Sources of Evidence [Class lecture slides]. In Nursing Research.
• This presentation summarizes key elements of the week’s textbook readings and will assist you in the week’s assignments.
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Jones & Bartlett Learning. (2014). Lesson 4: Linking Theory, Research, and Practice [Class lecture slides]. In Nursing Research.
• This presentation summarizes key elements of the week’s textbook readings and will assist you in the week’s assignments.
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Supplemental Material
Ashford University Library. (n.d.). Nursing Research Library Guide. Ashford University, College of Health, Human Services, and Science, San Diego, CA.
• The Nursing Research Library Guide is a resource that contains tutorials and other information that will help you search the Ashford University Library’s databases. It will assist you with APA style and scholarly writing in this week’s assignment and for assignments throughout the course and program.
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Nurses Protecting Patient Info

In the United States, there was a whopping 97% increase in the number of health records breached from 2010 to 2011… The number of patient records accessed in each breach has also increased substantially, from 26,968 (in 2010) to 49,394 (in 2011). Since August 2009, when the US government regulated that any breach affecting more than 500 patients be publicly disclosed, a total of 385 breaches, involving more than 19 million records, have been reported to the Department of Health and Human Services.
A large portion of those breaches, 39%, occurred because of a lost, stolen, or otherwise compromised portable electronic device—a problem that will likely only get worse as iPads, smartphones, and other gadgets become more common in hospitals. (CMAJ, 2012, p. E215).

Consider your own experiences. Does your organization use portable electronic devices? What safeguards are in place to ensure the security of data and patient information? For this Discussion you consider ethical and security issues surrounding the protection of digital health information.
To prepare

• Review the Learning Resources dealing with the security of digital health care information. Reflect on your own organization or one with which you are familiar, and think about how health information stored electronically is protected.
• Consider the nurse’s responsibility to ensure the protection of patient information. What strategies can you use?
• Reflect on ethical issues that are likely to arise with the increased access to newer, smaller, and more powerful technology tools.
• Consider strategies that can be implemented to ensure that the use of HIT contributes to an overall culture of safety.

Post an analysis of the nurse’s responsibility to protect patient information and the extent that HIT has made it easier or more difficult to protect patient privacy. Comment on any security or ethical issues related to the use of portable devices to store information. Assess the strategies your organization uses to safeguard patient information and how these promote a culture of safety. Describe an area where improvement is needed and one strategy that could address the situation.