Data collection method that reflects the purpose of the research
To collect data for the research on reducing door-to-balloon time in STEMI patients in Kendall Regional Center, different tools were used. Data collection methods included surveys, questionnaires, focus groups, knowledge tests for healthcare providers, and observations, and performance data reviews. It is important to note that combinations of the mentioned tools were used to achieve the results’ reliability and cater to the different aspects of the care provided in Kendall Regional Center. For instance, a knowledge test was used to assess physicians’ competency (Mehdizadeh, Sturrock, & Dacre, 2015).
The groups of interest for data collection included patients, nurses or physicians, and hospital management. In terms of patient outcomes, data were collected from all patients who arrived at the Emergency Department with STEMI diagnoses and who had to undergo an emergency catheterization PTCA. The vital data points design implemented a mixed-method approach (pre-existing data collected from official documents). The facility’s door-to-balloon time data was collected from 12-month-old nursing records (Jordan & Caesar, 2016).
Feedback received from the practicum site
Before the implementation of the research, it was identified that the key barrier to data collection might be associated with nurse acceptance and hospital structure. However, healthcare providers at the Kendall Regional Medical Center did not obstruct the study and facilitated the collection of reliable data regarding patients and practitioners. The overall response from the Center was positive since patients diagnosed with STEMI present a challenge for the facility in improving patient outcomes and reducing the causes of mortality resulting from primary PCI (Menees et al., 2013). The practicum site facilitated the collection of valid data on the actual door-to-balloon time and continually improved its practices and processes to achieve improved results after the research was finished.
Measuring reliability and validity of quantitative data
While reliability refers to the extent to which a research instrument gives the same results, validity is defined as the extent to which a concept is measured accurately in a quantitative study (Heale & Twycross, 2015). Homogeneity, convergence, and theory evidence are types of evidence that point to the validity and reliability of quantitative data. The collected data was homogenous since it dealt with individuals with the same diagnosis of STEMI undergoing an emergency procedure. The collected data was supported by theory evidence because the instrument measured door-to-balloon time in STEMI patients, and patients involved in the study were diagnosed with STEMI.
Measuring trustworthiness of qualitative data
In qualitative research, trustworthiness refers to the matter of persuasion where a “scientist is viewed as having made those practices visible and therefore auditable” (Gunawan, 2015, p. 4). Data presented in a study is regarded as trustworthy if a reader of the report regards it to be so. Trustworthiness can be divided into credibility, dependability, transferability, and confirmability (Leung, 2015). The collected data is considered credible since it corresponds to real patients; moreover, it was obtained using a proper method of acquisition. The data can be regarded as dependable since it was consistent throughout the processes of inquiry (Ferguson, Briesch, Volpe, & Daniels, 2012) (however, patient outcomes and the door-to-balloon time varied across the sample).
References
Ferguson, D., Briesch, A., Volpe, R., & Daniels, B. (2012). The influence of observation length on the dependability of data. School Psychology Quarterly, 27(4), 187-197.
Gunawan, J. (2015). Ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research. Belitung Nursing Journal, 1(1), 10-11.
Heale, R., & Twycross, A. (2015). Validity and reliability in quantitative studies. Evidence Based Nursing, 0, 1-4.
Jordan, M., & Caesar, J. (2016). Improving door-to-needle times for patients presenting with St-elevation myocardial infarction at a rural district general hospital. BMJ Quality Improvement Reports, 5(1), 1-9.
Leung, L. (2015). Validity, reliability, and generalizability in qualitative research. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 4(3), 324-327.
Mehdizadeh, L., Sturrock, A., & Dacre, J. (2015). Are the General Medical Council’s tests of competence fair to long standing doctors? A retrospective cohort study. BMC Medical Education, 15(80), 1-10.
Menees, D. S., Peterson, E. D., Wang, Y., Curtis, J. P., Messenger, J. C., Rumsfeld, J. S., & Gurm, H. S. (2013). Door-to-balloon time and mortality among patients undergoing primary PCI. The New England Journal of Medicine, 369, 901-909.