Predictive Ability of an Illness Severity Measure: Implications for Nursing Research.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Illness severity among children with life-limiting illnesses is measured with the pediatric complex chronic conditions (CCC) measure. Developed in 2000/2001, it was revised in 2014 to include infant-specific categories. METHODS: Discrimination, calibration, accuracy, and validation tests were used to examine the predictive performance of the measures. RESULTS: Among the 10,175 infants in the analysis, both measures poorly discriminated-palliative care consultation (C-statistics 0.6396 vs. C-statistics 0.5905) and any inpatient procedure (C-statistics 0.6101 vs. C-statistics 0.5160). The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit tests revealed good calibration for both measures. The original measure was more accurate in predicting end-of-life outcomes-palliative care consultation (Brier Score 0.3892 vs. 0.7787) and any inpatient procedures (Brier Score 0.3115 vs. 0.4738). CONCLUSIONS: The revised measure did not perform any better than the original in predicting end-of-life outcomes among infants.

Completion and attrition of nursing PhD students of the 2001 to 2010 matriculating cohorts.

PURPOSE: To examine completion and attrition of students in nursing PhD programs. METHODS: Total 5,391 students who matriculated into nursing PhD programs in 2001 to 2010 were selected from the AACN database. FINDINGS: The completion rate of the students was 74.2% and the attrition rate was 22.7%. On average, it took 5.7 years for the students to graduate and 3.7 years for the students who left without graduating to drop out. The mean age at matriculation and graduation was 42.4 and 47.5, respectively. Male students, part-time students, students of post-baccalaureate programs, students who were not faculty or held a part-time faculty position, students of the 2001 to 2010 matriculation cohorts, and students in PhD programs with 25% or more of the courses taught online were more likely to experience attrition. CONCLUSION: The study findings provide useful information for the nursing education community to better address the issue of nursing PhD shortage.

Viewpoints on Undergraduate Research Among Nursing Students Conducting Q-Methodology Studies.

BACKGROUND: This article describes using Q-methodology to evaluate changes in attitudes about research among baccalaureate nursing students conducting Q-methodology studies as part of an undergraduate honors research program. METHOD: Five senior students, who had designed Q-methodology studies, sorted 36 opinion statements about undergraduate research based on two conditions of instruction: (a) according to their current attitudes, and (b) according to their beliefs before they began the honors program. RESULTS: A two-factor final solution explained 70% of the variance. The Getting Ahead section of the study, associated with six sorting grids, also known as sorts, reflected positive beliefs about the professional benefits of engaging in undergraduate research. The Too Much Effort theme reflected beliefs held by three participants prior to engaging in the program. CONCLUSION: After engaging in an undergraduate research honors program where participants designed a Q-methodology study, this group of students reported gaining intellectual and practical skills and no longer found research to be as intimidating. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(2):96-98.].

Seizing opportunity: Diverse early-entry nursing students' perceptions of seeking a PhD.

BACKGROUND: The aging and retirement of the current nursing professoriate and the increasing numbers of nurses pursuing practice doctorates has precipitated decreasing numbers of nurses, specifically diverse nurses pursuing a research doctorate, thus limiting the development of nursing science. PURPOSE: To describe factors influencing decisions about entering a PhD program from the perspectives of early-entry PhD nursing students. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design using semistructured interviews to explore the perceptions of making the decision to pursue a PhD in nursing of the students who participated in two early-entry mentoring programs. FINDINGS: A model, entitled "Seizing Opportunity" was developed from the findings about the process of students deciding to pursue a PhD. DISCUSSION: Motivators and detractors that can help nursing educators understand how to successfully recruit diverse PhD students were uncovered. Providing knowledge and mentoring for early entry students can increase the numbers of diverse students pursuing a PhD in nursing.

Evaluation of Studies on the Measurement Properties of Self-Reported Instruments.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate studies on the measurement properties of self-reported instruments. METHOD: This descriptive review included studies on measurement properties that were reported in Asian Nursing Research over a five-year period from 2016 to September 2020. Nine key measurement properties were reviewed for each study: content validity, structural validity, internal consistency, cross-cultural validity/measurement invariance, reliability, measurement error, criterion validity, hypotheses-testing construct validity, and responsiveness. RESULTS: The most commonly applied measurement properties were structural validity and internal consistency. However, structural validity using confirmatory factor analysis or item response theory/Rasch analysis needs to be rigorously analyzed and interpreted. None of the studies assessed measurement error and responsiveness. CONCLUSION: It is recommended for nursing researchers to assess measurement properties beyond structural validity and internal consistency using more rigorous methodologies.

A guide to improve your causal inferences from observational data.

True causality is impossible to capture with observational studies. Nevertheless, within the boundaries of observational studies, researchers can follow three steps to answer causal questions in the most optimal way possible. Researchers must: (a) repeatedly assess the same constructs over time in a specific sample; (b) consider the temporal sequence of effects between constructs; and (c) use an analytical strategy that distinguishes within from between-person effects. In this context, it is demonstrated how the random intercepts cross-lagged panel model can be a useful statistical technique. A real-life example of the relationship between loneliness and quality of life in adolescents with congenital heart disease is provided to show how the model can be practically implemented.

Metabolomics Research Conducted by Nurse Scientists: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Metabolomics, one of the newest omics, allows for investigation of holistic responses of living systems to myriad biological, behavioral, and environmental factors. Researcher use metabolomics to examine the underlying mechanisms of clinically observed phenotypes. However, these methods are complex, potentially impeding their uptake by scientists. In this scoping review, we summarize literature illustrating nurse scientists' use of metabolomics. Using electronic search methods, we identified metabolomics investigations conducted by nurse scientists and published in English-language journals between 1990 and November 2019. Of the studies included in the review (N = 30), 9 (30%) listed first and/or senior authors that were nurses. Studies were conducted predominantly in the United States and focused on a wide array of clinical conditions across the life span. The upward trend we note in the use of these methods by nurse scientists over the past 2 decades mirrors a similar trend across scientists of all backgrounds. A broad range of study designs were represented in the literature we reviewed, with the majority involving untargeted metabolomics (n = 16, 53.3%) used to generate hypotheses (n = 13, 76.7%) of potential metabolites and/or metabolic pathways as mechanisms of clinical conditions. Metabolomics methods match well with the unique perspective of nurse researchers, who seek to integrate the experiences of individuals to develop a scientific basis for clinical practice that emphasizes personalized approaches. Although small in number, metabolomics investigations by nurse scientists can serve as the foundation for robust programs of research to answer essential questions for nursing.

Analysis of the technological production of three professional master's programs in the field of nursing.

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the technological production of three professional master programs in the area of Nursing. METHOD: documentary research on primary sources. A total of 100 graduate nurses from three professional master's programs in Nursing in the Southeastern region of Brazil were analyzed, based on the following variables: time of training, typology of products; context of products and technological and educational classification, welfare and management. The study was guided by the question: "How is the technological production of the dissertation of the professional master's degree according to typology, context and technological classification? The analysis of the data was based on the construction of a table that categorized the products according to the typology. RESULTS: development of techniques was the main type of product found, being expressed by flowcharts, protocols, guidelines and training courses. The products were mostly developed in the hospital context, in the educational technology format. CONCLUSION: the technological production of the analyzed programs is restricted, diffuse and, in its majority, of low social impact and has no relevance in the body of the dissertation. Despite the wide possibility of conclusion work, the dissertation, accompanied by an article and/or technical productions, is the main form of presentation.

Paths taken by Brazilian Nursing for the development of terminological subsets.

OBJECTIVE: to discuss the paths taken by Brazilian Nursing in the development of terminological subsets of the International Classification for Nursing Practice. METHOD: documentary research, carried out in master's dissertations and doctoral theses, which developed terminological subsets, available at the Bank of Doctoral Theses and Master's Dissertations of the Under-graduation Personnel Improvement Coordination. The variables were analyzed were institution, year; academic level, type of health service, methodological approach, clientele, theoretical reference, validation of terms, cross mapping, modeling of new concepts, validation of statements, method used for elaboration, term collection, finalization and dissemination. RESULTS: 124 doctoral theses and master's dissertations were found, 91 were excluded and 33 were included, 23 (69.70%) of which were master's dissertations, with the highest production in 2014 (n=10; 30.30%), with emphasis on the Northeast (36.36%); the 'Primary Care' scenario, with six studies (18.18%); and the predominant clientele was cancer patients. As for the methodological characteristics, in 96% of the studies, the quantitative approach was used; in 2%, a qualitative approach; and 2% associated the quantitative and qualitative approaches. As for the type of study, 60% were methodological and 24% descriptive-exploratory, with the Horta model being the most used (36%). CONCLUSION: the paths are successful, yet still permeated by weaknesses in the validations and potentialities to standardize the language.

Value of Performing a Rasch Analysis on a Reliable and Valid Instrument-Case Study of the SA-SH.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the potential added value of performing a Rasch analysis on a reliable and valid instrument employed in nursing research and educational interventions, using the Students' Attitudes toward Sexual Health (SA-SH) as an example. METHODS: This study was performed with a polytomous Rasch model. RESULTS: The Rasch analysis confirmed the reliability and validity of the SA-SH. Rasch analysis presented information about the item's individual response options and gave the opportunity to judge how well different answers alternated in an item. The Rasch analysis also provided information about the proportion of extremes and the possibility of excluding these. CONCLUSIONS: The Rasch analysis provides added value regarding information that needs to be considered regarding choices of questionnaire literacy compared to item fit. The SA-SH is also valid and reliable when tested with Rasch analysis.

Identifying subgroups: Part 2: Trajectories of change over time.

Methods to identify multiple trajectories of change over time are of great interest in nursing and in related health research. Latent growth mixture modeling is a data-centered analytic strategy that allows us to study questions about distinct trajectories of change in key measures or outcomes of interest. In this article, a worked example of latent growth mixture modeling is presented to help expose researchers to the use and appeal of this analytic strategy.

In what ways does online teaching create a positive attitude towards research in nursing students studying a first year evidence-based practice undergraduate subject online?

Nursing research teaching is seen as central to nurse education and practice, but the impact of exposure to research teaching on students' attitudes towards research remains unclear. The aims of this study were to explore the attitudes towards research of undergraduate nursing students, before and after exposure to research teaching online. A further aim of this study was to better understand students' attitudes towards research, to inform future teaching strategies. This descriptive quasi-experimental study used pre-semester and post-semester data collected by means of an online questionnaire. The Attitudes Towards Nursing Research Scale measured student attitudes via 18 Likert items that assessed four domains: Research Abilities, Usefulness of Research, Personal Interest in Research and Using Research in Clinical Practice. There were no statistically significant changes in the overall Attitude Towards Research Scale. Individual item analysis did show statistically significant changes in two items: Understanding of research terminology increased (p = 0.001), but Intention to conduct research decreased (p = 0.035). This study generated evidence on attitudes of nursing students toward research before and after their exposure to a research subject. Research teaching online may be insufficient to effect a change in student nurses' attitudes towards research. SUMMARY OF RELEVANCE: Issue: Research is a foundational topic in undergraduate nursing curricula, but students often find the topic to be challenging to learn, while academics find it challenging to engage students in learning about research.What is Already Known: A validated instrument, Attitudes Towards Research, can be used to ascertain if teaching affects attitudes.What this Paper Adds: Overall attitudes of first year, second semester students did not change after experiencing a semester long introductory research subject. However, two item statements did show a statistically significant change, in disparate directions. Understanding of Research Terminology increased, while Intention to Conduct Research decreased.

Elementos nucleares para la elaboración de un proyecto de investigación con metodología cuantitativa / Nuclear elements for drafting a research project with quantitative methodology

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Analysis of the technological production of three professional master's programs in the field of nursing / Análise da produção tecnológica de três programas de mestrado profissional na área da Enfermagem / Análisis de la producción tecnológica de tres programas de maestría profesional en el área de enfermería

Objective: to analyze the technological production of three professional master programs in the area of Nursing. Method: documentary research on primary sources. A total of 100 graduate nurses from three professional master's programs in Nursing in the Southeastern region of Brazil were analyzed, based on the following variables: time of training, typology of products; context of products and technological and educational classification, welfare and management. The study was guided by the question: "How is the technological production of the dissertation of the professional master's degree according to typology, context and technological classification? The analysis of the data was based on the construction of a table that categorized the products according to the typology. Results: development of techniques was the main type of product found, being expressed by flowcharts, protocols, guidelines and training courses. The products were mostly developed in the hospital context, in the educational technology format. Conclusion: the technological production of the analyzed programs is restricted, diffuse and, in its majority, of low social impact and has no relevance in the body of the dissertation. Despite the wide possibility of conclusion work, the dissertation, accompanied by an article and/or technical productions, is the main form of presentation.

Objetivo: analisar a produção tecnológica de três programas de mestrado profissional na área da Enfermagem. Método: pesquisa documental em fontes primárias. Foram analisados 100 trabalhos de conclusão de curso de enfermeiros egressos de três programas de mestrado profissional na área da Enfermagem, da região Sudeste do Brasil, a partir das seguintes variáveis: tempo de formação, tipologia dos produtos; contexto dos produtos e classificação tecnológica-educacional, assistencial e gerencial. Norteou-se o estudo pela questão: "Como se caracteriza a produção tecnológica dos trabalhos de conclusão do curso de mestrado profissional segundo a tipologia, o contexto e a classificação tecnológica?". A análise dos dados deu-se a partir da construção de um quadro que categorizou os produtos de acordo com a tipologia. Resultados: desenvolvimento de técnicas foi o principal tipo de produto encontrado, sendo expressos por fluxogramas, protocolos, diretrizes e cursos de capacitação. Os produtos foram desenvolvidos, em sua maioria, no contexto hospitalar, no formato tecnologia educacional. Conclusão: a produção tecnológica dos programas analisados é restrita, difusa e, em sua maioria, de baixo impacto social e não possui relevo no corpo da dissertação. Apesar da ampla possibilidade de modalidades de trabalho de conclusão, a dissertação, acompanhada de artigo e/ou produções técnicas, é a principal forma de apresentação.

Objetivo: analizar la producción tecnológica de tres programas de maestría profesional en el área de enfermería. Método: investigación documental en fuentes primarias. Fueron analizados 100 trabajos de conclusión de curso de enfermeros graduados de tres programas de maestría profesional en el área de enfermería, de la región sureste de Brasil, a partir de las siguientes variables: tiempo de formación, tipología de los productos, contexto de los productos y clasificación tecnológica educacional, asistencial y administrativa. Este se orientó por la pregunta: "¿Cómo se caracteriza la producción tecnológica de los trabajos de conclusión del curso de maestría profesional, según la tipología, contexto y clasificación tecnológica?". El análisis de los datos se realizó a partir de la construcción de un cuadro que categorizó los productos de acuerdo con la tipología. Resultados: el desarrollo de técnicas fue el principal tipo de producto encontrado, siendo expresado por diagramas de flujo, protocolos, directrices y cursos de capacitación. Los productos fueron desarrollados en su mayoría en el contexto hospitalario, en el formato tecnología educacional. Conclusión: la producción tecnológica de los programas analizados es restringida, difusa y en su mayoría de bajo impacto social y no posee relevancia en el cuerpo de la disertación. A pesar de la amplia posibilidad de modalidades de trabajo de conclusión, la disertación, acompañada de artículo y/o producciones técnicas, es la principal forma de presentación.

Research Capacity and Research Training Needs of Clinical Nurses in Suzhou, China.

BACKGROUND: Several studies examined the research capacity of nurses in the United States and other countries. However, the research capacity of clinical nurses in China has not been systematically surveyed. Thus, there is a need to investigate and report the research capacity and training needs of nurses in China. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: In 17 hospitals, 2,324 clinical nurses were surveyed. The results indicated that most of the nurses self-assessed that their research capacity was relatively low, as the average score was 65.47 ± 21.31 (total score = 30 to 150). Most of the nurses (n = 1,890, 83.1%) expressed the need for training in research. Linear regression analysis showed participation in nursing research practices and pursuing a higher degree could improve nurses' research capacity. CONCLUSION: Nurses' research capacity needs further improvement. More training courses on nursing research tailored to the requirements of nurses are needed. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2019;50(9):423-432.].

Historical, descriptive and exploratory analysis of application of bibliometrics in nursing research.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyse the literature production on application of bibliometrics in nursing research. METHODS: Historical, descriptive, and exploratory bibliometrics analyses were used. The papers were harvested from the Scopus bibliographical database (Elsevier, Maribor, Netherlands), on November 18th, 2018, using the search string bibliometric* in publication titles, abstracts, and keywords, limited to the subject of nursing, for the period 1970 to 2018. FINDINGS: The search resulted in 531 publications with 18 publications removed after manual inspection of publications abstracts. The literature production trend was positive. The nursing specific historical roots appeared only recently. The United States of America and Spain were the most productive countries, and most papers were published in Nutricion Hospitalaria and the Journal of Advanced Nursing. Descriptive analysis, research evaluation, content analysis, citation analyses, and trend analysis in nursing research were the most prolific themes. CONCLUSIONS: Applications of bibliometric in nursing is comparable to bibliometrics use in general, however there are some gaps including the use of altmetrics and of Big Data analysis.