Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper
The full citation of each peer-reviewed article in APA format.
A brief (1-paragraph) statement explaining why you chose this peer-reviewed article and/or how it relates to your clinical issue of interest, including a brief explanation of the ethics of research related to your clinical issue of interest.
A brief (1-2 paragraph) description of the aims of the research of each peer-reviewed article.
A brief (1-2 paragraph) description of the research methodology used. Be sure to identify if the methodology used was qualitative, quantitative, or a mixed-methods approach. Be specific.
A brief (1- to 2-paragraph) description of the strengths of each of the research methodologies used, including reliability and validity of how the methodology was applied in each of the peer-reviewed articles you selected. Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper
Please use the following references:
Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information and Libraries Journal
Links to an external site., 26, 91–108. doi:10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
Hoare, Z., & Hoe, J. (2013). Understanding quantitative research: Part 2. Nursing Standard
Links to an external site., 27(18), 48–55. doi:10.7748/ns2013.01.27.18.48.c9488
Hoe, J., & Hoare, Z. (2012). Understanding quantitative research: Part 1. Nursing Standard
Links to an external site., 27(15), 52–57. doi:10.7748/ns2012.12.27.15.52.c9485
Research Methods
Healthcare research is crucial as it intends to provide accurate and reliable evidence on issues encountered in the field of medicine. The primary research methodologies employed in research are qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-method approaches. When conducting literature reviews, it is important to thoroughly evaluate the methodology used in each research for validation of reliability and validity. This paper aims to identify the methodologies used in four peer-reviewed articles that address the issue of mental illnesses among healthcare workers and their associated strengths. Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper
Full Citation of the Articles
Bangani, R. G., Menon, V., & Jovanov, E. (2021). Personalized stress monitoring AI system for healthcare workers. 2021 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM). https://doi.org/10.1109/bibm52615.2021.9669321
Greco, E., Graziano, E. A., Stella, G. P., Mastrodascio, M., & Cedrone, F. (2022). The impact of leadership on perceived work-related stress in healthcare facilities organisations. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(4/5), 734–748. https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-07-2021-0201
Grünheid, T., & Hazem, A. (2023). Mental Wellbeing of Frontline Health Workers Post-pandemic: Lessons learned and a way forward. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1204662
Maple, J.-L., Willis, K., Lewis, S., Putland, M., Baldwin, P., Bismark, M., Harrex, W., Johnson, D., Karimi, L., & Smallwood, N. (2024). Healthcare Workers’ perceptions of strategies supportive of their mental health. Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health, 100049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glmedi.2024.100049
How Each Article Relates to the Clinical Issue of Interest
The articles I utilized relate to my clinical issue of interest as they aim to address various strategies that can be used to mitigate risk factors that contribute to mental illnesses among healthcare workers. In their article, Bangani et al. (2021) establish the critical need to identify the risk for stress, a common risk factor for mental illnesses in healthcare workers using machine learning and artificial intelligence. A second article by, Greco et al. (2022), establishes the efficacy of supportive leadership in mitigating psychosocial risk for mental health. In another article, Grünheid & Hazem (2023), identify employer-provided strategies including adjusted working hours, rewards and incentives and teamwork are effective in improving the mental well-being of healthcare workers. Lastly, the article by Maple et al. (2024) identifies four organizational-based strategies that can support mental health for HCWS. The ethics of research employed in the articles include informed consent, confidentiality, beneficence, and minimizing risk for harm. Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper
Aim of Research for Each article
Bangani et al. (2021) aimed to establish the significance of effective prediction of stress occurrence among healthcare workers. Greco et al. (2022) aimed to establish the role of supportive leadership in reducing occupations’ psychosocial risk that contributes to mental illnesses. In their study Grünheid & Hazem (2023), aimed to examine the state of mental well-being among HCWs and establish which interventions can be effective in improving their mental health. Lastly, Maple et al.(2024) aimed to examine the organizational-based interventions that could help support the mental health and well-being of healthcare workers.
The Methodology Used in Each Article
The article by Bangani et al. (2021) used a qualitative methodology, where wearable electrocardiograms and inertial sensors were used on participants to record heart activity and physical activity to predict any stress occurrence. In the second article, Greco et al. (2022) utilized the quantitative methodology where participants were subjected to a questionnaire. In the study by Grünheid & Hazem (2023), a cross-sectional survey method which is a quantitative approach was used. Lastly, Maple et al. (2024) utilized the quantitative approach where surveys and text questions were distributed among the participants. Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper
The Strength of Each Method Used
The peer-reviewed articles utilized either a qualitative or quantitative approach. The qualitative approach aims to understand human behavior and experiences. In qualitative research, validity is assessed by examining the appropriateness of tools, processes, and data used. According to, the validity of a qualitative study is determined by the extent to which data was recorded. If the data recorded is accurate and maximizes trustworthiness, then it’s valid. The study by, Bangani et al. (2021), recorded data from wearable electrocardiograms and inertial sensors of heart activity and physical activity. As such, the data could not be manipulated which asserts the validity and reliability of the study. Quantitative research employs numerical data to test a hypothesis. The strength of the method is that it uses large sample sizes and an issue can be examined in detail and in-depth thus asserting its reliability.
References
Bangani, R. G., Menon, V., & Jovanov, E. (2021). Personalized stress monitoring AI system for healthcare workers. 2021 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM). https://doi.org/10.1109/bibm52615.2021.9669321
Greco, E., Graziano, E. A., Stella, G. P., Mastrodascio, M., & Cedrone, F. (2022). The impact of leadership on perceived work-related stress in healthcare facilities organisations. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 35(4/5), 734–748. https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-07-2021-0201
Grünheid, T., & Hazem, A. (2023). Mental Wellbeing of Frontline Health Workers Post-pandemic: Lessons learned and a way forward. Frontiers in Public Health, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1204662 Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper
Maple, J.-L., Willis, K., Lewis, S., Putland, M., Baldwin, P., Bismark, M., Harrex, W., Johnson, D., Karimi, L., & Smallwood, N. (2024). Healthcare Workers’ perceptions of strategies supportive of their mental health. Journal of Medicine, Surgery, and Public Health, 100049. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.glmedi.2024.100049
Letter to Organizational Leadership on Healthcare Stressor
Different stressors or issues affecting the smooth operation of healthcare organizations have been identified. According to Broome & Marshall (2021), these unwanted issues have led to direct and indirect unwanted outcomes, including increased rate of worker absenteeism, low productivity, reduced morale, and loss of revenue, among other vices; examples of national stressors in healthcare include mental issues, chronic disease epidemics, an ageing population, shortage of workers among others. Organizational leaders should recognize the importance of addressing national health stressors as part of their broader responsibility to ensure the health and well-being of their employees, optimize organizational performance, and contribute to the resilience and sustainability of healthcare systems. This paper provides a detailed report/letter addressed to the leaders on mental health issues as the identified stressor, including strategies to address the issue.
Description of the selected national health issue/stressor
Mental health issues ranging from workers’ burnout and stress to depression and anxiety have become increasingly prevalent in healthcare settings. The unwanted impact of this issue cannot be understated and overlooked, with key indicators pointing to unwanted trends in the organization. For example, the organization has recorded an increase in the rate of workers’ absenteeism due to mental-related issues by 18% over the past six months. Furthermore, there has been a noticeable decline in employee engagement and morale, as evidenced by the director’s report in the last departmental meeting. This can, in turn, be linked to hours lost in productivity per month, week or day. The mental health crisis poses a serious problem for the healthcare organization, impacting not just the health and output of the employees but also the organizations capacity to remain financially stable (Broome & Marshall, 2021)Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper. A comprehensive strategy prioritizes mental health awareness, employee support, and access to the right tools and services is needed to address this problem. By attending to the mental health requirements of the employees, they can be supported to build a stronger, more resilient team and organization that is better able to face future obstacles.
Summary of the Selected Articles
With mental and related issues identified as a major concern in the healthcare sector, different research has been undertaken to establish the best approach to address the issue. One of the selected articles is ‘The Impact of Leadership on Perceived Work-related Stress in Healthcare Facilities Organizations’ by Greco et al., which examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work-related stress (WRS) among healthcare workers (HCWs) and explores the role of leadership in mitigating this stress. The findings show a significant association between perceived supportive leadership and reduced exposure to negative psychosocial risks among HCWs (Greco et al., 2022). This publication emphasizes the indispensable input of the organizational leaders, with the findings providing a strong foundation for another organization’s approach to addressing issues with their healthcare team. Some aspects that could be considered include adopting and practicing supportive leadership behaviors, regular communication and feedback, and leadership training.
The second article is ‘Personalized Stress Monitoring AI System For Healthcare Workers’ by Raina & Jovanov. The article discusses the impact of stress on healthcare workers, more so nurses, during the COVID-19 pandemic and presents a proof-of-concept case study using machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) for stress detection. The article advocates for integrating technological tools to address the identified stressor. The proposed approaches include adopting AI tools, wearable technologies and personalized support programs to promote work-life balance among workers (Raina & Jovanov, 2021)Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper.
Summary Of Strategies Used & How They May Impact Our Organization Positively And Negatively
Based on the selected articles, the approach presented to address mental health stress includes the development and integration of supportive leadership. On the other hand, The second article introduces a strategy involving machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) for stress detection among healthcare workers.
Regarding the positive impact of these strategies, adopting supportive leadership practices may encourage a climate of cooperation, communication, and trust. Leaders may improve staff morale and work satisfaction by, for instance, actively listening to employee problems, providing resources for mental health help, and recognizing employee accomplishments. Regarding the second article, introducing technology-driven stress detection methods can yield important information about our healthcare workforce’s well-being. Integrating effective leadership and technological monitoring tools may proactively handle stress-related issues and foster employee resilience and well-being by recognizing stress patterns early on and providing tailored support measures (Navaz et al., 2021).
However, inadequate leadership support can exacerbate work-related stress and contribute to employee dissatisfaction and turnover. On the other hand, while adopting and integrating technology-driven stress detection models offer promising benefits, there may be concerns regarding privacy, data security, and the potential for technology to exacerbate feelings of surveillance or mistrust among employees.
References
Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
Greco, E., Graziano, E. A., Stella, G. P., Mastrodascio, M., & Cedrone, F. (2022). The impact of leadership on perceived work-related stress in healthcare facilities organizations. Journal of Organizational Change Management. https://doi.org/10.1108/jocm-07-2021-0201
Navaz, A. N., Serhani, M. A., El Kassabi, H. T., Al-Qirim, N., & Ismail, H. (2021). Trends, Technologies, and Key Challenges in Smart and Connected Healthcare. IEEE access : practical innovations, open solutions, 9, 74044–74067. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2021.3079217
Raina Ghanshyam Bangani, Menon, V., & Jovanov, E. (2021). Personalized Stress Monitoring AI System For Healthcare Workers. 2021 IEEE International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedicine (BIBM). https://doi.org/10.1109/bibm52615.2021.9669321 Research Methods Assignment Discussion Paper