How Effective are Pain Assessment Tools on Patients with End-Stage Dementia Admitted in Hospitals - Research Paper Example

In this section, a realistic study design, as well as the literature review procedures, data collection processes, and analysis, are outlined. In this section, ascertaining the methodologies applied in data collection and the drawing of inferences is fundamental and it is amicably settled. However, such conclusions are purely based on facts and figures relating to the pain assessment tools adopted by caregivers on patients with end-stage dementia.

  A literature review research study design can either be based on the study intention or the method used in the course of undertaking the review. Pain assessment tools effectiveness literature review is an applied study descriptive in nature. In this context, a descriptive study design was adopted. This method has made it possible to facilitate the pinpointing of conceptual framework variables and other kinds of literature associated with the issue. The study design did focus on a literature review as a case study and required an in-depth analysis of the caregivers and hospital facilities to be studied about pain assessment tools that are in place and applied in assessment procedures for end-stage dementia patients.

The design has allowed an analysis of 10 articles sought to outline the co-relationship between various pain assessment tools and their effectiveness.22 According to Cooper (2009, p.4), a literature review entails scrutiny of previous works relevant to a research area. The literature review intends to summarize, describe, evaluate, clarify, and integrate the contents of the primary reports (Cooper 2009, p. 3). A systematic literature review design is adopted in this research study. This is because this can be effectively done within the constraints of resources.

Literature review systematically used existing research rather than use original research as its database report (Kotthissssi 2008, p.36).  This research will look into scholarship relevant to the effectiveness of the tool(s) for assessing pain in hospitalized patients with end-stage dementia. Primary research would have taken more time and financial resources which are beyond my limit as a student researcher.  The kinds of literature to be reviewed will be selected from nursing databases with bibliographic information.

Pre-existing databases provide an excellent and convenient source of data (Cooper 2009). There are a host of databases and the increasing archiving of information in computers indicates that this is an enlarging area for obtaining data (Cooper 2009). The type of data generated from using databases is independent of any specific hypothesis and any does not require expertise for data collection (Cooper 2009). Hence, it is easier for the student researcher to collect data. The use of previously collected data is efficient and comparatively cheaper (Kothari 2008).

23 When searching for existing research into the selected topic, I came across many different primary study articles that addressed the question in various ways. Upon reading the results sections of each article, I found out that there are many contrasting thoughts and ideas from participants of a given study. In conclusion, I have decided to conduct literature of previous research so that I am in a position to analyze and sum up the views and experiences of palliative healthcare professionals on assessing pain in people with end-stage dementia.