NURS 6101 -week 2 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

Week 2 Discussion

I found the course on ethics and human safety in clinical research very informative regarding clinical research and how the participants are treated during the research process. This course covered historical events that have led to how research is conducted today in regard to protecting the rights of humans. One that was found to be most interesting to me was the Nuremburg Code that came about in 1949. The physicians involved committed crimes against humanity that should have never occurred, but thanks to them being found guilty, research now has guidelines for basic ethical principles that have been developed to protect another human from such inhumane events. Another was the Belmont Report. This resulted in more protection of the individuals participating in trials and also gave better respect for autonomy of participants. My overall view of this course is that it was very informative on the history of ethical research. It is pretty sad how human rights used to be invaluable and disrespected. Unfortunately, trial participants had to suffer so that participants involved in modern research are valued and treated fairly.
My place of work does not conduct research that involves human participation. My primary care physician’s office does have a research committee, so I inquired with the research coordinator on how research was conducted. The Family Health Care Center has a team that has many research sponsors and organizations they collaborate with during clinical trials. Their team consist of two principal investigators, a sub-investigator, a research coordinator, and research assistants. They have an established population of patients that are used in different trials. They have exam rooms that are fully equipped with proper storage and areas for study and documentation. They follow ethical guidelines that protect and respect the rights and humanity of any individual that participates in the many different trials and research they perform.

ORDER  HERE A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

The Association of Clinical Research Professionals. (2019). Human Subject Protection: A Comprehensive Introduction (No Contact Hours). Retrieved from https://acrp.digitellinc.com/acrp/lessons/126

NURS 6101 -week 3 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

Misdiagnosis is one of the most common medical errors witnessed all across the medical field. According Cakmak, Demir and Kidak (2017), 20% of the medical errors are as a result of misdiagnosis. About 80,000 to 160,000 people suffer implications as a result of medical errors such as misdiagnosis (Cakmak, Demir & Kidak,2017). Such implications mostly include permanent disabilities. According to Cakmak, Demir, and Kidak (2017), there are 40,500 people in the United States who die as a result of misdiagnosis in intensive care units every year.
For the last thirty years, a total of $38.8 billion has been lost as a result of medical errors and misdiagnosis. These errors come along with adverse effects that affect not only the patient but also the society at large (Solomon et al., 2016). Research has it that medication errors are less frequent as compared to the errors done through the wrong diagnosis. These are problems that are related to permanent disabilities and even deaths as seen in the study (Khullar, Jha & Jena, 2015). Therefore, there is a need to conduct more studies that will be of help in ensuring that these errors are significantly reduced. They re mostly divided into three categories: human cognitive, no-fault and system-based errors. The categories group the errors in the sense of the reasons that contributed to these errors. There should be measures put in place to ensure that there are minimal medical errors and misdiagnosis made across all medical fields.

Significance of the Problem
As seen in prior studies, medical errors and misdiagnosis have been a pain in society. With all the negative effects it has on the patients, directly or indirectly, there is the need to ensure that it is handled with the due seriousness. Even with the frequent occurrence of the errors, research has to be carried out to come up with ways that will help in ensuring that those who suffer the implications are well considered throughout their lives (Liberman & Newman-Toker, 2018). There is a serious need to carry out the study as it will help in coming up with strategies that will assist in the reduction of the medical errors and misdiagnosis witnessed in the health sector. It is a study that will assist in analyzing why these errors happen and what means can be used with the aim of ensuring that they are reduced.
Problem Statement
In the past years, there has been a notable increase in the rate at which medical errors and misdiagnosis are occurring. Deaths and permanent disabilities just being a few of the direct impacts that medical errors and misdiagnosis have on patients have caused so many losses that need to be addressed. Too much cost has been incurred in trying to cover up and correct losses that are related to misdiagnosis and medical errors (Parks-Savage, Archer, Newton, Wheeler & Huband, 2018). It is therefore essential that in 5this study, solutions to handling the problem are well stipulated to be used now and in the future. There is a need to analyze different options that will help in addressing all medical errors in various medical settings.
Purpose of the Study
There is the need to carry out the study in order to make it easier for the relevant parties to address the cases of medical errors and avoid all the causes that contribute to the problems. There are past studies that have been carried out with the same aim as the current study, but still, there are instances of the issue at hand. Therefore, the study has the purpose to perfect and add more information on the ways that will help in reducing the cases of medical errors and misdiagnosis witnessed in the medical fields.
Research Questions, Hypothesis, and Variables with Operational Definitions
This study is to answer the research question on whether the medical errors and misdiagnosis can be prevented or significantly reduced. If yes, the study will go ahead and offer the means in which that will happen. It will provide effective strategies that will need to be followed to address the problem. Research in this study will also seek to address the Hypothesis: If public awareness is done to the patients, there will be a significant reduction of the medical errors.
Null Hypothesis: Public awareness of patients does not affect the reduction of medical errors and misdiagnosis. The variables in this study will include both the dependent and independent variables. The independent variable will be the public awareness on means to curb medical errors and misdiagnosis and the dependent variable which will be the patient. Public awareness to the patients will be inclusive of all the knowledge required to reduce or prevent medical errors and misdiagnosis such as seeking of second opinions and what a view.
This will include the tips to be followed by both the patients and the doctors in which the study will be having the idea of each party laying its part with the same aim of reducing or preventing medical errors and misdiagnosis. It will discuss the means to be followed and implemented in all medical settings to avoid medical errors and misdiagnosis. The operational variables in the study will be the patients and the medical professions that will help in conducting the study.

NURS 6101 -week 4 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

Renal Failure can be permanent or temporary. Millions of people are diagnosed with permanent Stage 4-5 end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Although transplantation would be the intervention of choice it is a process to be a candidate and a list of thousands that are waiting for a transplant for each person diagnosed to be added to. More than half of the people in the world diagnosed with ESRD are on hemodialysis (HD). Dialysis replaces the process that a normal functioning kidney would do by removing waste and fluid from the blood. The other form of dialysis is peritoneal dialysis (PD). This type of dialysis is done more so at home. Hemodialysis is generally done in an in-center setting but can be done in a home setting. Hemodialysis in-center is less desirable related to the increase risk of infection.
Infection, the second leading cause of hospitalization and deaths in patient with ESRD on dialysis. The leading cause of infection, blood-stream infection (BSI), is related to central venous catheters (CVC). According to Stefan, Stancu, Capusa, Ailioaie, & Mircescu, (2012), septicemia account for 75% of those infections. First time hemodialysis patients are more than likely to receive the initial treatment via CVC access for many reasons. A common reason is emergent dialysis is needed. Central Venous Catheter are normally a temporary access, to be in place for no more than 7 to 21 days. In many cases CVC, will be in place for month or years because the patient has no other option. The preferred access in hemodialysis is arteriovenous fistula (AVF) and the second preferred is arteriovenous graft (AVG). Although all access has risk for infection. Patient with CVC access has a greater risk for bloodstream infection. The purpose of this research is to identify intervention to prevent, decrease, and eliminate blood-stream infection related to CVC in patient receiving hemodialysis.
Summary of Literature
There were multiple articles reviewed as resources for the topic selected addressing bloodstream infection caused by central venous catheters. When reviewing all sources, there were many similarities to be noted. The infection control procedures in each setting was often compromised and showed great need for focus and improvement. There was also similarity it the selected processes to use in relation to infection control. Several of the article collected clinical data retrospectively. Overall the major consensus of all the sources were that central venous catheter have a very high risk for infection.
The authors of “Catheter-related infections in chronic hemodialysis: a clinical and economic perspective”, goal was to assess the incidence of bacteremia and how it has a clinical and economic impact. All 75 of the subject were admitted to the same physician in the same hospital with a suspicion of bacteremia over a 15 months’ period. The all had temporary CVC. The data was collected retrospectively.
Although the limitation of sample size, retrospective observational design, and cross-sectional data with no information post discharge; this study could show that 1 in 5 HD patients with CVC will suffer from complicated bacteremia. This impacts morbidity, mortality and cost. Chu, Adams, & Crawford (2013), used a practice developmental framework to conduct their study. They goal was to identify causes of the rise in bloodstream infections as well as strategies to reduce them; while engaging the staff, and monitoring the compliance. The researchers were focus on the quality improvement of the setting. They used an audit tool to observe clinical practices caring for CVC. They noted that there are many contribution to catheter related blood stream infection (CRBSI) such as environment, aseptic technique, and dressing just to address a few. The audit reveal variation to practice among staff and documentation of the medical record reveal lack of documentation; specifically, that addressed the CVC exit site. An action plan was developed as a result of the finding from the audit. Implementation of the action plan included standardized assessment of CVC and modification of treatment form to address access. It also included KDOQI guide line and top 10 tips for CVC care. The researcher focus mainly the nurses which was a limitation because in many setting the patient care technician provide more that 75% of the hands-on care. They also were only able to focus on nursing care post catheter placement not during placement. In getting there result they could compare the difference in practice pre-and post-audit. This allowed them to see a great improvement in practice which impact infection control. It is often the small things that majorly impact practice performance and outcome. This could be used in other setting to improve clinical practice which is a plus.
“Prevention and Treatment of Hemodialysis- Related Bloodstream Infection”, focuses on the increasing number of patient requiring accesses. Camins, (2013) discussed how prevention of BSI is and will always be a multidisciplinary and multifaceted approach. There was great emphasis on the placement of AVF first. It compliments previous works noted in the light of decreasing the use and placement of CVC. According to Scarritt, Paragone, O’gorman,Kyriazis, Maltese, and Rostas (2014), there should be an increase in AVG initial placement and transition to AVF oppose to central venous catheter transition to AVF. The wait for use of a AVG is a little as 24 hours and the risk of infection is much lower. Both works also addresses prevention with interventions discussed such application of antimicrobial or antiseptics on the catheter exit site, antimicrobial lock solution, hand hygiene, environment and use of luer lock connector. Blood culture are utilized to test for infection and treatment of BSI involving coagulase-negative Staphylococci and most gram-negative pathogen includes antibiotics. Removal of CVC is generally not necessary. The goal is not to require the CVC to be removed in any cases but CSI involving S. aureus, Pseudomonas species, Enterococcus species, and Candida species continues to require the CVC will need to be removed.
Even with a method of a prospective study and a larger population over a 7-month period infection control hygiene an issue. As all sources, have revealed a lack of compliance even with direct observation and the need for policy and procedure of infection control enforcement to impact the incidence of BSI. A difference noted among studies were; according to Sahli, Feidjel, & Laaloui, (2016) diabetes were significantly associated with the risk of CRBSI while Stefan, (2012) did not find a relationship between diabetes and bacteremia. Bacteremia being the most common strand of CRBSI.
Conclusion
Review of the collected resource were very consistent on the stance of prevention of infection is possible. The incidence of CRBSI varied for study to study with one contributing factor being the sample population. The all were based on 1000 days of the CVC being place. The incidence ranged from 6.5 to 10.8 per 1000 depending on the study. Age, sex, comorbidity, and insertion site was not always considering in each study. All of these could have some contributing factor in the likely hood of infection in the patient. The commonality that was consistent was the lack of infection control. Whether it was hand hygiene or proper us of personal protective equipment (PPE). Infection are no longer acceptable as the normal with central venous catheters because of the goal and strategies in place to eliminate Catheter related blood-stream infection.
Not all hemodialysis accesses are created equal (Landry & Braden,2014). Cath has a 15- fold increase risk of infection. Although the incidence of CRBSI over all had decrease there continues to be hundreds of patients diagnosed and dying. As previously stated the number of CVC continues to rise and many place for greater than the recommended time. Research highlighted throughout the review the need of fistulas being placed first. This will require planning and earlier detection from nephrologist.
Many patients are never referred to a nephrologist before they need dialysis. It’s often too late to place an arteriovenous fistula and in many cases an arteriovenous graft. None of the articles reviewed in detail the need for the prevention of central venous catheter of those 80% of hemodialysis patient that initiate dialysis with a catheter. The 80% speak volumes of the quality of improvement needed before the patient even need dialysis. The topic focus is to prevent, decrease, and eliminate blood-stream infection but the reality of it all is we need to start before an access is require. This decrease mortality and cost related to dialysis.

NURS 6101 -week 5 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

Nurse Staffing and Quality of Care
As the largest group of providers in the health care system, costs associated with nursing labor consume a considerable portion of the budget. However, nurse staffing ratios have a direct effect on quality of care and patient safety. Sufficient and safe staffing ratios are ideal for the retention of nurses and for the provision of safe and quality care. Inadequate staffing of nurses results in heavier patient loads, greater rates of nurse burnout and higher incidences of adverse patient outcomes. “How can a healthcare system function effectively without an adequate supply of frontline caregivers” (Schroeder, 2002)?
Impact of Nurse Staffing on Health Care Delivery
One of the major contributors to staffing inadequacy of nurses is the nursing shortage. There are simply not enough nurses in the professional to compensate for the shortage present in the field. Hospitals that are frequently understaffed tend to experience the most prevalent rates of poor patient outcomes and high turnover rates of nurses. Other factors to consider include increasingly complex patient acuity, heavier patient loads and shortened lengths of stay. Patients require more complex care than ever, but nurses do not have the time to provide the quality care that the patients deserve. Nurses are expected to do more with less time and resources and as a result patients and nurses alike suffer.
According to Welton (2007), evidence-based practice suggests that more staffing of registered nurses is associated with a reduced rate of hospital mortality and fewer incidences of negative patient outcomes. The more time a nurse has to actively participate in direct patient care, the less likely the patient is to stay in the hospital for extended periods of time or experience unwanted outcomes. Patients and nurses deserve to be in an environment that is conducive to positives outcomes. Subsequently, increasing the ratio of nurses to patients will improve quality of care, safety, and overall job satisfaction of nurses.
Quality Improvement Strategies for Nurse Staffing

Quality Improvement Implementation for Nurse Staffing
Conclusion
It is imperative that nurses are staffed appropriately to ensure safe, quality patient care is provided. The ultimate goal of staffing is improvement of patient care, safety and retaining nurses at the frontline. If we have any hope of quality patient care that is safe, affordable and accessible, we need to make a conscious effort to make sure nurses are there to provide it. It is very well known that patient outcomes are directly correlated to the type of nursing care, but the environment in which such care is provided, including staffing, is a contributing factor to the outcome as well. If nurses are certain they can work in an environment that is not a burden to them or their livelihoods, nursing could once again become an attractive profession. Staffing that is safe for everyone involved results in improved nursing performance, reduced turnover, staffing costs, patient outcomes and liability.

NURS 6101 -week 7 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

The central venous catheter (CVC) is a common device for hemodialysis patient that are not candidates for placement of arteriovenous graft (AVG) or arteriovenous fistulas (AVF). They are also frequently used in situation of the patient needing emergency hemodialysis and there is no time for other access to mature. Whichever the rationale for the CVC the patient is at a higher risk for Catheter related blood stream infection (Fysaraki et al.,2013). The purpose of this study is to show significant decrease in incidence and path to elimination of Catheter related blood stream infection (CRBSI).
Extraneous Variable
The sample population is a convenience sample. The sample selection all had CVC and received treatment in an in-center chronic dialysis clinic three to four times a week. This is a moderately controlled setting. A major extraneous variable will be the staffing of patient care technician and the time allotted for each patient. Some participants are non-compliant and often late for the allotted time and creates and issue for the proper step to be complete without increasing risk of infection control. In relation to staffing an issue comes about wen all partied assigned to work does not show up. This increased work load without an increase in time to complete task. This creates a rushed environment that increases the risk for cross contamination and spread of infection.
In controlling patient’s non-compliance effect on the care those will be reschedule if time is missed and the following patient will be cared for to decrease the risk for rushing and risk of infection. The staffing issue cannot be addressed prior to the actual occurrence. Another extraneous variable would be personal hygiene and care. At time patient will arrive with dressing removed from catheter exit site and leaving it exposed. Assessment of the cause of the impairment would prompt intervention or education.

ORDER   HERE

Instrument
What are the cause of CRBSI? There are many contributing factors but the major variable that will be assessed will be the environment, equipment, caregivers, and patient. Being that an observational approach has been determined to be used in this study; a tracking tool has also been selected. It is the goal to use an audit tool to collect data prior to intervention being implemented and then post intervention being implemented. This will identify the quality improvement in care.
According to Chu, Adams ,& Crawford (2013), this tool will show consistency by being able to be used in other clinic and possibly areas yielding similar results in computing data. The instrument will also be able to measure the relevant areas of the study. Addressing the contributing Factor noted above. The audit tool will address 3 specific areas of the process of initiating treatment through termination of treatment. These will be environmental, aseptic technique, and dressing. This will be observed pre and post intervention.
The Audit tool will address environment by assessing the method of cleaning equipment before, during, and after treatment. This includes maintaining sanitary station as patient use the station. The proper donning, doffing, and wearing of personal protective equipment will also be considered. The aseptic technique portion of the tool will address set up of the dressing, application of the dressing, scubb of exit site, patient and staff talking during the process, hand hygiene compliance, and aseptic technique during connection.
The third area will be the dressing and it will be assessed for integrity prior to change including; moisture and whether it is intact. After care is completed the placement of the dressing will be address to ensure the exit site is properly covered. During the dressing application process, it will also be assessed whether the patient or staff talked or coughed as well as wore mask properly.
Data Collection
There will be a total of 103 participants divided among five clinics. Each clinics participant will be observed over 3-4 days. Although consent was obtained from the participant prior to the beginning the study there will not be alerting prior to the pre-observation. This will allow the care and interaction to performed as natural and unmanipulated as possible. The data will be collected by addressing audit tool topic to identify what percentage of task were being complete properly. After initial observation, the data collected will be utilized to determine the intervention necessary to decreased risk of CRBSI and improve quality and standard of care. Followed by a post observation to render the result of improve based on the goal.
Intervention
The intervention will address the deficit by standardizing practices for CVC care and treatment procedure. All staff will review current policy and procedure and discuss the current error of practice. The will also be educated on new process procedure to standardize practices. Participant will also be re-educated on home care and care during treatment. With education and simulation with patient and staff the goal is to see a vast improvement in practice.
References:
Chu, G., Adams, K., & Crawford, S. (2013). Improving catheter-related blood stream infection in hemodialysis patients using a practice development framework. Renal Society of Australasia Journal, 9(1), 16-21. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.southuniversity.libproxy.edmc.edu/docview/1560339259?accountid=87314
Fysaraki, M., Samonis, G., Valachis, A., Daphnis, E., Karageorgopoulos, D. E., Falagas, M. E., . . . Kofteridis, D. P. (2013). Incidence, clinical, microbiological features and outcome of bloodstream infections in patients undergoing hemodialysis. International Journal of Medical Sciences, 10(12), 1632.

NURS 6101 -week 8 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

Dear Governor,
I am writing to you supporting the Senate Resolution SB 80: Medical Malpractice presented by Senator Passidomo. My understanding is that this bill is meant to address the medical malpractice; creating s. 766.1181, whereby the calculations of the cost that are incurred after some personal injury or mistaken death activities. It is also a bill that will help in showing the relationship between the prohibition of specific admission knowledge that is related to the medical cost of health care as a show of such activities. Once passed, the bill will help in showing applicability and ensuring that there will be a directive to the Division of the Revision of Law and an effective date will be provided (Yousefi, 2018).
With the Enactment by the Legislature of the State of Florida, as seen in Section 1. Section 766.1181, Florida Statutes is formulated in a way that there should be evidence of damages caused in the line of medical malpractice. It is also seen that in this state, there has been a two-year limitation statute related to medical malpractices which are mostly made by doctors, nurses, surgeons etc. This, therefore, means that there are two years which will start from the time at which the caused injury happens and show that there was a reason as to why the injury was arrived at n order to take a step of filing a case of medical malpractice. I have hope that this will help in ensuring that all victims involved in medical malpractices will have their problems addressed with the right compensation made by the relevant parties (Pinto, 2018). With the increasing trend in other states in addressing the problem of medical malpractices, Florida has ensured that it codifies a limitation statute that is of two years with a response statute of four years.
It also comes with a cap that is of seven years maximum which may involve fraud, intentional misrepresentation or concealment by a medical profession. It has the information relating to the statutes of limitations and how long one should take to sue for any medical malpractice in the state. In this state, one must begin the lawsuit before two years end once the injury is realized. It comes with an allowance of giving it a maximum of four years all depending on hen and how the malpractice occurred. One is needed to ensure that they serve a notice of intent when using a medical profession for the medical malpractices who include nurses and doctors mostly (Mieres, 2018). The notice in motion is a process that approximately takes three months to be dealt with whereby, within the three months, the statute of limitation is completely tolled. This entails of all the requirements needed on the pre-suit on Statute of Limitation.
It is a resolution that would receive support from relevant organizations such as the American Nurses Association as it will outline the law procedures that need to be followed by patients or victims in ensuring that they perfectly get compensated for the medical malpractices that happened to them. I support the resolution with all confidence that once it is put in place, the benefit will be to the citizens of Florida.

References

Mieres, F. (2018). 10 Migration, recruitment and forced labour in a globalising world. Handbook of Migration and Globalisation, 155.
Pinto, E. P. (2018). Public Health Rights and Ethics: Conflicts, Contestations and Expanding Horizons. In Ethics in Public Health Practice in India (pp. 21-42). Springer, Singapore.
Yousefi, K. (2018). The More Med-Mals, the Shorter the Litigation: Evidence from Florida. Review of Law & Economics, 14(1).

NURS 6101 -week 9 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

Week 9 Discussion
Excel can be a great feature to have when it comes to analyzing data. On the first time trying to use Excel, it was a challenge, but discovered that Excel does make it easier when calculating the descriptive statistics. “The format spreadsheets such as those in Microsoft Excel help to better organize and prevent out of range data from being entered.” (Gray, Grove, & Sutherland, 2016, pg. 503)
Descriptive statistics basically condenses a large amount of data for the analyses of a specific trend within the entire research data. For this specific assignment, the data was organized into mean, median, mode and range. It was organized beginning with the highest number to the lowest number. This assignment was challenging to say the least, but once I located and used the descriptive statistics tab, it made calculations super easy. Results are as follows:
• In the age category the mean is 36.2, the median is 33.5, and the mode is 34.
• In the cringe category the mean is 3.25, the median is 3.5, and the mode is 4.
• In the uneasy category the mean is 3.7, the median is 4, and the mode is 5.
• In the afraid category the mean is 3.55, the median is 3.5, and the mode is 3.
• In the worried category the mean is 2.6, the median is 2.5, and the mode is 2.
• In the understand category the mean is 3.05, the median is 3, and the mode is 3.
“Histograms, polygons or box plots are used to represent quantitative data.” (Kulkarni, 2016, para. 16) I predict that the excel program will come in handy once I begin practicing as a FNP.

Kulkarni D. K. (2016). Interpretation and display of research results. Indian journal of
anesthesia, 60(9), 657–661. doi:10.4103/0019-5049.190622. Retrieved on June 5, 2019
from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5037947/.
Gray, J. R., Grove, S. K., & Sutherland, S., (2016). Burns and Grove’s The Practice of The
Nursing Research: Appraisal, Synthesis, and Generation of Evidence, 8th edition.
Elsevier. Retrieved on June 5, 2019 from https://digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/#/books/9780323377584/cfi/6/24!/4/2/6/2@0:0.00.
Kaur, P., Stoltzfus, J., & Yellapu, V. (2018). Descriptive Statistics. International Journal of
Academic Medicine, 4(1), 60-63. Retrieved on June 5, 2019 from http://www.ijam-web.org/article.asp?issn=2455-5568;year=2018;volume=4;issue=1;spage=60;epage=63;aulast=Kaur

NURS 6101 -week 10 Policy and Politics in Nursing and Healthcare

NSG 6101 Week 10 Discussion

One of the first steps in performing research is formulating a research problem. The first objective of critically analyzing current practice to formulate researchable problems was reached by me learning how to first of all come up with a problem that was of interest to me. This was the comparison of behavioral therapy and Methylphenidate therapy in children with ADHD. The coursework taught me considerations to look for when formulating my research problem. Once my problem was formulated, I had to ensure that the problem could in fact be managed and researched to produce a relevant outcome. I analyzed both quantitative and qualitative studies done prior to mine to determine if there was enough valid data to proceed with my research topic.

Objective number two was to evaluate research as the basis for decision making to improve outcomes through translation into evidence-based practice. This was achieved by researching the numerous case studies and other research studies that had been done to determine if my research problem could produce positive outcomes that would benefit the focused population in my study. I used multiple databases, course textbooks, articles, and medical associations publications to evaluate research done prior to this course project.

Objective number three is to synthesize an understanding of the research process through development of a proposal to address a nursing problem or focus area identified in nursing practice. Th research process requires many steps in order to be a successful project. I was able to achieve this goal by learning each week what each of the steps in research were and how to go about completing them. Steps taken in researching can be long and very time consuming, especially reviewing the literature and data collection steps. There are numerous study designs to go through and analyze, along with ensuring that each of the studies reviewed represents my chosen topic, had valid information, comes from reliable sources, and most importantly, that it is ethical.

Objective four regarding ethical issues was met by reading the assigned readings and completing assignments in this course pertaining to ethical considerations in research. The completion of the Protecting Human Research Participants course was extremely helpful and informative. It taught me that with every aspect of research, the researcher must consider any ethical issues that arise. We must respect the patient’s rights to privacy, self-determination, confidentiality, getting fair treatment, and most importantly, their right to be protected from harm.

Objective five was to explore national and international initiatives and research priorities. I was able to meet this goal by searching through scholarly databases, articles, magazine publications, and other websites to find priorities in nursing research. One of the most popular sites I used was Healthy People 2020 and the National Institute for Nursing Research.