Individuals in the Nursing Profession - Assignment Example

i) Problem Statement: In what way is the problem the study was conducted to resolve an important one for nursing to explore? The study of death and dying is one of grave concern within the field of nursing. In the course of rendering medical care many lives are lost. It becomes important to assist many individuals in the process of grieving the lost especially when that lost is sudden and it involves the life of a young person with a very long and promising future. In the case of students who die, it is vital to be able to offer their teachers the support necessary to cope with the death of that student. Oftentimes, no-one stops to think of the impact the death of a student can have on the teacher. Teachers are in the unique position of establishing a relationship with the student wherein the teach may feel obligated to protect the student. When a student dies, the teacher may feel responsible for that death to some degree. It is important for individuals in the nursing profession to identify the need for services to individuals in need. In so doing, individuals in the nursing profession can recommend services for all those involved utilizing a team approach. Essentially, when nurses identify the need for services, they can work with an interdisciplinary team which often includes social work staff, psychological services staff etc. A referral initiated by the nursing staff can be vital to ensuring teachers are provided with the appropriate services to assist them in the grieving process and assure that the teachers arrive at the point of acceptance and return to their lives free of guilt, anger and the other symptoms which accompany a loss. ii) Study Purpose: In what way is the purpose of the study significant to nursing? The purpose of this study was to examine the way in which teachers deal with the death of a student during the school year. This is significant to the field of nursing in that there is a very real possibility that a teacher who has experienced the death of a student will have to seek the assistance of a nurse or someone in the nursing profession was a direct result of the inability to cope with the death of a student. In seeking the assistance of a nurse, it is important for nurses to be aware of both the physical and psychological effects of having experience the death of a young person. In being aware of the effects, a nurse or someone in the nursing profession is able to make an informed decision with regards to the course of treatment as well as to engage the necessary professionals in rendering a continuum of services. iii) Research Question: What is the research question? If it is not stated, what would be the research question? In what way would you say that the question is stated broadly enough for a qualitative study? There are several research questions raised during the course of this research, however, the most poignant question is one which simply stated questions the way in which teachers deal with the death of a student. This statement is very broad in nature in that it leaves the question open to many interpretations. The researcher is able to examine the physical, psychological and social aspects of coping with the death of a young individual. This research question could have been studied from both a qualitative and quantitative perspective, however, the qualitative perspective offers more insight as the research question should be one that is investigated from a more subjective perspective. Utilizing a qualitative approach, the researcher is able to address the emotions of the study subjects more directly. iv) Study Design: What qualitative method is used? In what way is the method used an appropriate one for this study? The qualitative method utilized for this study was a modified case study approach wherein the subjects were interviewed and the thoughts and reflections of the researcher were recorded in a journal both before and after the interview. This method was appropriate for this kind of study in that the researcher was interested in studying the recollection of the experiences of teachers following the death of the student even after years have elapsed since the death of the student. v) Subjects and Setting: In what way is the method of obtaining subjects appropriate or inappropriate? In what way is the size of the sample used adequate? In what way was the setting in which data were collected an appropriate one for this study? The researcher indicated that a convenience sample was utilized. This is not the best method of obtaining a sample but given the nature of the study, it is adequate. I would have liked to see a more random method utilized to obtain study subjects but I think that the fact that the study dealt with teachers who experienced the death of students during the course of the year precluded this. I feel that the method utilized for studying the subject was appropriate in that the researcher recorded the very subjective data during the course of the interview in order to ensure that the data was recorded in the most accurate way. In so doing, it did not compromise the reliability and validity of the research method in any way. vi) Data Collection Methods: In what way are the methods used consistent with the purpose of the qualitative approach selected? In what way are the data collection procedures appropriate for this study? In what way are the steps taken to protect the rights of subjects adequate? What evidence is there that data saturation was achieved? The fact that data collection was conducted from the start of the interview and continued throughout the interview proved to be very sound methodology in that the data was highly subjective. In conducting case studies, it is important to collect as much information from the subject in order to ensure that data collected contains a full representation of the feelings expressed by the subjects. Additionally, the researcher mentioned that an informed consent was obtained. In obtaining an informed consent, the researcher is assured that the study subjects are appraised of their rights as well as the benefits and risks of the research project. There is no evidence in this research report that data saturation has been achieved. vii) Data Analysis Procedures: In what way(s) are the data analysis procedures appropriate for the type of data collected? In what way(s) are the data analysis procedures consistent with the qualitative method used? The data analysis procedure was appropriate for a case study in that it employed a cross-case analysis which was meant to assess the similarities and differences of the experiences of the teachers who have experienced the death of a student. In so doing, it not only collected data but it also assed whether the phenomenons described by the individual subjects were similar. Additionally if similarities existed, the similarities were identified thus adding to the validity of the method utilized. The data analysis procedures were consistent with the qualitative method used in that it was able to offer a scientific description of the phenomenon studied. viii) Strengths/Limitations: What are two major strengths of the scientific merit of this study? What are two major limitations of the scientific merit of this study? To what extent are the study findings valid? To what extent are the study findings practical for use in nursing practice and education? One of the major strengths of the this study was the fact that it was able to take highly subjective data and reduce it to very objective information. In so doing, the goal of the research was attained in that it described the underlying stages of grief experienced by teacher. Another strength of the method utilized was the fact that the research was able to take a very specific research question, answer it and make the results generalizable. Essentially, the researchers were able to determine that teachers who experience the deaths of students undergo a grief process and they should not be allowed to grieve the lost alone. It is prudent that these teachers be offered the necessary services. Two major limitations of the study are the fact that the data collected was highly subjective and the researcher had to interpret this data in order to assure generalizability. Another limitation was the fact that the scales utilized were not as reliable as other scales. This is the case for most qualitative scales. I feel that the findings of the study are extremely valid in that the researcher took the extra step of conducting a cross-case analysis. The cross-case analysis served to enhance the validity of the study. In this case it really took a highly subjective study and made it more objective. In my opinion, the researcher did the best that could be done given the nature of the study. The study findings are extremely practical for use in nursing practice and education in that it sheds some light on the grieving process. I feel that it is important for nurses to know both the physical and psychological effects of certain phenomena such as death in order to ensure that individuals in need of help obtain the help necessary. ix) Implications: What are the implications for practice (policies, procedures, quality monitors, plans of care evaluation of care)? What are the implications for education (formal and informal, patient/family/community, staff development)? What are the implications for research (replication, extension, research utilization, further study development)? The implications of this research are many, however, the most practical implication of this research is to raise the awareness of individuals in the nursing profession with regards to the impact of death. In raising the awareness, if a nurse is faced with an individual in the same situation, he/she learns not to ignore the impact of death on an individual who has been viewed as inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Who would think that a teacher needs to be assisted as he/she goes through the grieving process? I think it is very important for nurses to be aware of the impact of death on all involved be it directly or remotely. The implications are great for a course in death and dying. The implications of this study with regards to the ability to replicate the study are many in that because of the subjectivity of the research, it is very hard to replicate. The researchers were very evasive with regards to the specifics of the methodology. A cross-case analysis does offer some insight into the methodology but its insight is limited. I feel that the possibility of replicating this study is very real but it could possibly be done with a larger body of subjects which are chosen on a more random basis. This combination holds the best possibility for increased reliability and validity. Read More