Discussion: Sampling Paper

Discussion: Sampling Paper

Sampling

Data collection is a fundamental phase for nursing research since it entails gathering necessary information and data pertinent to answering clinical questions and testing hypotheses or research premises. According to Grey & Grove (2020), data collection is a practical stage that determines the validity and credibility of the research findings and results. Despite the importance of data collection in nursing research, it is valid to contend that researchers grapple with multiple challenges when obtaining research samples due to disparities among target populations and inconsistencies surrounding data collection approaches. Amidst the need to embrace population-specific approaches for data collection, this paper elaborates on sampling challenges when conducting research involving people with vascular dementia. Also, it expounds on evidence-based practices for addressing these challenges.

Analyzing Researchable Populations in Areas of Practice

Patients diagnosed with vascular dementia grapple with various challenges, including declining ability to analyze situations, slowed thinking, memory impairment, confusion, and agitation/emotional fluctuations (Jaul & Meiron, 2017). These symptoms compromise patients’ quality of life and the ability to collaborate with home-based caregivers, including family members and relatives. Depending on the dementia stage, patients exhibit varied caregivers’ perceptions, affecting care coordination and continuum. Eventually, understanding the interplay between dementia symptoms and patients’ perceptions of their caregivers forms the basis of a clinical research topic. Further, researching the relationship between dementia symptoms and patients’ personality changes based on caregivers’ approaches can help researchers reveal aggressive behaviors, anger, and depression triggers. Therefore, it is a topic of research significance and clinical implication.

Evaluating Selection of Appropriate Population in a Research Study

The selected population for this study involves patients diagnosed with vascular dementia in the home setting. The primary reason for selecting this population is the subsequent interactions between patients and home-based caregivers translate to individualized care and effective care coordination. However, patients with dementia struggle with cognitive impairment, mood fluctuations, and other multiple symptoms that affect their adherence to pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions.

Challenges of Obtaining Data Samples from Research Populations

Data collection for dementia research poses a challenge to researchers due to the complexities surrounding participants’ recruitment criteria. According to Ong (2018), lack of awareness of research trials, intensive monitoring of individual conditions and progress, disability, and a lack of benefits to the participants are barriers to data acquisition for data studies. On the other hand, Lepore et al. (2017) cite cognitive impairment as a challenge that compromises data collection and recruitment processes. These challenges result in data heterogeneity and affect research eligibility and validity. As a result, it is essential to implement evidence-based practices for addressing these problems.

Strategies to Address Data Collection Challenges

Effective data collection methods depend massively upon the recruitment processes and approaches for engaging participants in research activities. In this sense, a flawed recruitment process results in data inconsistencies and variability that affect results’ validity. Since collecting data from patients with vascular dementia is a daunting endeavor, it is essential to improve recruitment criteria. An ideal strategy for transforming the recruitment process is using “gatekeepers.” According to Lepore et al. (2017), gatekeepers are individuals who have relationships with dementia patients and may control researchers’ access to patients. Also, they have the right to decide whether to participate in research or not. Researchers can use gatekeepers to assist dementia patients in responding to research questions and filling out questionnaires. Other strategies for addressing data collection challenges include providing proxy consent and collaborating with interdisciplinary teams to ensure that participants are in stable cognitive conditions to provide data.

Conclusion

Vascular dementia is a degenerative condition that results in cognitive declines, mood alterations, confusion, and other adverse effects on patients. Although data collection is an essential phase of nursing research, it thrives when participants are in stable cognitive conditions to provide accurate and valid information. Therefore, researchers can use gatekeepers, collaborate with medical teams, and provide proxy consent to improve the data collection process when conducting dementia-related research.

References

Gray, J. R., & Grove, S. K. (2020). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (9th ed.). Elsevier

Jaul, E., & Meiron, O. (2017). Systemic and disease-specific risk factors in vascular dementia: Diagnosis and prevention. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2017.00333

Lepore, M., Shuman, S., Wiener, J., & Gould, E. (2017). Challenges in Involving People with Dementia as Study Participants in Research on Care and Services (pp. 1-10). ASPE. Retrieved from https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_legacy_files//174691/Session%205%20Background.pdf

Ong, K. T. (2018). Challenges in dementia studies. Alzheimer’s Disease – The 21st Century Challenge, 109–128. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72866

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Discussion Two: Starting the Research Process
Topic: Dementia
Proposed Title: Keeping Dementia Patients Safe at Home.
Research Problem Statement
The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze evidence-based practices for ensuring safety for patients with dementia in home-based care settings. The determination to conduct this research relies massively upon the need to ensure patient safety and improve the quality of life of patients grappling with dementia. It is essential to note that dementia results in various adverse health effects, including deterioration of cognitive capacities, dependency on healthcare services, comprised ability to complete activities for daily living, memory loss, and deaths. Amidst the need to improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations, home-based caregivers emphasize pharmacologic interventions such as medication administration and adherence to improve dementia symptoms. However, issues of medication tolerance and side effects compromise the effectiveness of pharmacologic interventions, promoting the plausibility of incorporating non-pharmacologic approaches for improving health outcomes and enhancing safety for patients with dementia. Eventually, the existing discrepancies and disparities between pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic approaches form the basis of this study.
Reflection of Personal and Academic Experiences
As a nursing student, I have acquired the art of incorporating nursing research in solving clinical problems and informing decisions to guarantee quality and convenient care. For instance, my academic experience enables me to embrace evidence-based practice (EBP) as an advanced paradigm that allows healthcare professionals to utilize the best evidence in addressing clinical challenges and solving complexities surrounding care delivery. Amidst the need to incorporate EBP in clinical settings, I have acquired skills for analyzing problems, developing research questions by utilizing the PICOT (problem/population, interventions, comparisons, outcomes, and time) framework, and appraising sources to establish their credibility and applicability in answering the research question.
Besides acquiring the art of incorporating nursing research and evidence-based practice in solving clinical problems and improving decisions, I have participated in simulated case scenarios and real-life situations involving patients with life-threatening conditions such as hypertension, cancer, and respiratory complications. These scenarios enhanced my perspective of care by transforming perceptions and instilling the need for balancing between professional, social, and ethical considerations when delivering care. As a result, my academic and personal experiences inspire the topic selection.
Study Variables and Hypothesis
The study will investigate the interplay between dependent and independent variables alongside confounding factors. The independent variables for the research include the type of treatment, patients’ education levels, age, gender, socio-economic status, and underlying health conditions. On the other hand, dependent variables for the research include adherence to pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions, measures of cognitive and psychological responses to treatment options, and levels of participation in social activities after safety improvements interventions. Finally, the confounding variables for the study may include researchers’ characteristics, healthcare settings issues, and caregivers’ traits.
Besides the three categories of potential variables for the research, the study will investigate the following hypotheses:
1. Implementing pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions equally impacts patient safety among individuals with dementia.
2. Therefore is no significant difference in individual response to safety improvement approaches among patients with dementia in terms of age, gender, and lifestyle.
3. Social determinants of health (SDOH) compromise safety for patients with dementia in home-based care settings.
Ethical Considerations Concerning the Research Problem Statement
It is fundamental to incorporate ethical standards when conducting research involving human subjects. While investigating appropriate interventions for promoting safety for older adults with dementia in home-based care settings, it is vital to practice various ethical principles, including upholding patient autonomy, ensuring beneficence and non-maleficence, providing consent before including participants in the study, and promoting data confidentiality and security. Also, it is crucial to ensure integrity and address conflict of interest before embarking on the research endeavors.
Although dementia affects an individual’s capacity to make informed decisions due to memory loss and altered cognitive functions, it is essential to guarantee participants’ autonomy by collaborating with their family members, relatives, and caregivers to ensure their participation in research activities. In this sense, researchers should ensure transparency and integrity by providing consent before commencing the research activities and protecting participants with diminished autonomy.
How the Selected Problem Might Contribute to Positive Changes
Often, healthcare workers in home-based care settings grapple with challenges to ensure safety for patients with dementia due to uncertainties and disparities among pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. In this sense, the issues of medication adherence and tolerance are prevalent among older patients with dementia, compromising the plausibility of pharmacologic interventions. On the other hand, challenges such as patient falls, resource constraints and lack of care coordination reduce the effectiveness of non-pharmacological approaches such as behavioral and psychological therapies, group-focused activities, and cognitive stimulation strategies.
Consequently, investigating evidence-based practices for ensuring safety for patients with dementia avails opportunities for addressing literature gaps pertinent to contributions of drug and non-drug-safe treatment options. Also, this research problem is consistent with the need to reveal the most profound care approaches that promote cognitive functions and address behavioral disorders for patients with dementia. As a result, findings from the study can narrow down to clinical guidelines for promoting safety and positive health outcomes of patients with dementia.