Critique
Introduction
Quantitative research studies are essential in nursing practice, as they help to construe phenomena and depict affiliations that may exist among variables, and this helps to get useful answers for nursing professionals. The relationship between various factors is described by quantitative research. The purpose of this paper is to critique the study done by Donna Cole and Kathleen Neville titled “The relationships among health promotional behaviors, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in nurses practicing in a community medical center” (Neville & Cole, 2016). This paper focuses on the relationships among the various factors that exist in the study such as compassion fatigue, satisfaction, burnout, and health promotional behaviors and how they affect performance at the workplace and the general wellness of the nurses at Hunterdon Medical Center.
Significance
The research study’s purpose was clearly stated and it was relevant, especially in nursing practice. The research is imperative in the practice of nursing as the primary variables, which include burnout, compassion, and health promotion behaviors, are essential issues that nurses encounter in their duties. Due to the tremendous burden of caring for the sick, nurses are emotionally and physically drained while ensuring that the patients’ families are satisfied with the care their loved ones receive.
Ethical Aspect of the Study
The work was approved by the Institutional Review Board (IBR). However, the article did not mention whether the participants were informed at the initial stage about the nature of the study.
Frame of Reference
The study followed a conventional design approach. It was organized in the following format: abstract, background, experimental methods, findings, and conclusion.
Research Question/Hypothesis
The study used a hypothesis instead of a research question. There was a clear statement on the theory and the information was presented in the literature review. The variables were also described properly. Health promotional activities were the independent variables while fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and less burnout were the dependent variables.
Research Design
Neville and Cole used descriptive, correlational, and non-experimental design in their research. A framework was also provided to aid in guiding the research work. The participants used in the study were selected randomly, thus the researchers had control over the research study. The topic to be examined was also made clear. Manipulation of variables was eliminated because they used a non-experimental research design. There was consistency in the control measures used with the type of research design. The work also purposed to find the correlation between different variables used in sampling, which are the dependent and independent variables. The descriptive design also focused on the examination of subjects without necessarily interceding. There was an alignment of the sample size with the features of a detailed descriptive study.
Sampling
Neville and Cole stated the sample population. The population consisted of part-time and full time clinical nurse leaders and nurse practitioners in inpatient and outpatient settings at Hunterdon Medical Center. However, the contracted nurses were excluded from the samples. The study exceeded the sample size required through uses of power analysis as the research used 223 subjects as compared to the minimum sample size of 85 (Polit & Beck, 2018). Nevertheless, the use of a larger sample leads to minimal errors in a research. The sample used was a non-probability sample.
Data Collection
It took over two months to complete the data collection procedure during which they regularly notified the nursing staff of the upcoming study. The ProQOL-R-V and HPLP-II were the scales used by the researchers in data collection. The tools seemed reliable, as the researchers explained how they work. The explanation was paramount to assist the patients to understand the working of the test score. The HPLP-II scale is broadly used in research, hence is reliable.
Statistical/Data Analysis
The study used descriptive statistics. The researchers also discussed all the data analysis methods. The statistical tests were the most appropriate for this study because of the nature of the samples used and according to the assessment done by the researchers. The ProQOL-R-V established the relationship between the primary variables (Knapp, 2018). Hence, the statistical test used was appropriate for the study and it was aligned with the hypothesis given. In the research work, a high percentage of the targeted population participated in the study; 56% out of the required standard of 50% (Hoskins& Mariano, 2015). The Pearson Product-Moment Coefficient statistical test was used to determine the correlation between compassion fatigue and health promotional behaviors. Therefore, the statistical methods used were appropriate.
Results/Findings
The findings from the research authenticate what is presented in the literature review; nurses experience compassion fatigue. As indicated from the hypothesis, health promotional activities reduce fatigue among the nurses, the finding also corroborated with the hypothesis. The Pearson Product-Moment Coefficients indicated an inverse relation in the promotional behaviors and fatigue. The use of a table to bridge the results also helped in amplifying the results presentation.
The findings show that physical activities had no correlation with burnout, compassion satisfaction, and compassion fatigue. Hence, the results did not match the initial researchers’ theory on how physical activities may influence compassion fatigue. The hidden significant increase in the level of compassion fatigue was also a limitation in this study.
Clinical Practice
The researchers also discuss the implication of the study in nursing practice. The study implies that health promotional behaviors can influence nurses by increasing compassion satisfaction and lowering burnout. The researchers also highlight the significance of carrying out more studies to find out supplementary subjects that may prohibit compassion fatigue. Cole and Neville further recommend that more research should be done to ascertain how the behavior of nurses may affect compassion fatigue, and this is grounded in the study evidence.
Conclusion
Neglecting the few limitations evident in the research work conducted by Cole and Neville, the study is comprehensive and significant to the nursing practice. The analytical view of the research work is outstanding and presents the hypothesis of the study professionally. Various bodies have approved the source, and thus the work is reliable. The researchers did a satisfactory work on analysis, design, collection of data, and choosing of statistical methods. The approach used by Cole and Neville can also be used for future reference because of its detailed nature.
References
Hoskins, C. N., & Mariano, C. (2015). Research in nursing and health: Understanding and using quantitative and qualitative methods. New York, NY: Springer Pub. Co.
Knapp, T. R. (2018). Quantitative nursing research. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Sage Publications.
Neville, K., & Cole, D. A. (2016, June). The relationships among health promotion behaviors, compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction in nurses practicing in a community medical center. The Journal of Nursing Administration, 43(6), 348-354. Retrieved March 08, 2019.
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2018). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice.