Key Information: Authors and Topic
Alleviating pain in patients with oncology issues is one of the crucial tasks faced by nurses in the modern healthcare setting (Paice et al., 2016). In their study, Bakitas et al. (2015) compare early and delayed palliative care management techniques. Primary quantitative analysis was conducted to determine the benefits and disadvantages of both frameworks.
Problem, Purpose, and Key Terms
The authors state the problem clearly at the very beginning of their study by pointing to the need to integrate oncology and palliative care (Bakitas et al., 2015). Since the absence of a coherent framework for managing the needs of oncology patients affects their quality of life to a large extent, the problem studied by the authors is very important. Focusing on comparing early and delayed palliative care strategies, Bakitas et al. (2015) hypothesize that early PC allows improving the quality of patients’ lives faster and more efficiently.
Variables: Description
Seeing that the purpose of the research is to determine the superior approach toward managing the needs of patients undergoing palliative care, the successful management of target demographics’ needs can be deemed as the key dependent variable. The independent ones, in turn, include the application of either the approach based on early palliative care or delayed one.
Literature Review Analysis
The authors use sources that are pertinent to the study. The articles and books to which Bakitas et al. (2015) refer the reader can be defined as up-to-date and relevant to the analysis. For example, the active use of the studies that help shed light on the issue of patient survival rate in a hospital can be regarded as a sensible decision. Each reference is recent, and none of them allows for the presence of any biases.
Methods: Overview and Analysis
The authors applied a quantitative research design to explore the connection between the variables. Being an original study, the specified research required the use of a tool that allowed comparing the outcomes of each intervention. Thus, the authors utilized a t-test as the key means of comparing patient outcomes.
Study Sample Description
The sample size included 360 participants, which can be considered an adequate number that helped represent target demographics appropriately. Bakitas et al. (2015) defined inclusion and exclusion criteria very clearly by stating that patients with advanced cancer were selected for the study. A convenience sampling framework was applied since participants were recruited from a specific healthcare facility.
Variables Manipulation Strategies
To explore the effects that independent variables of the study had on dependent ones, Bakitas et al. (2015) utilized the terminal decline joint modeling framework. The specified tool allowed identifying differences and similarities between the collected data. For instance, changes in the impact levels, as well as patients’ moods, were detected. Furthermore, the information gathered during the analysis was secured appropriately to prevent its disclosure.
Forms of Reliability Description
Since there was a consistency of research measurement in the study, the outcomes of the analysis can be regarded as reliable. A test-retest reliability approach was used by Bakitas et al. (2015). As a result, the veracity of the research results was enhanced (Wilson & Joye, 2016).
Statistical Procedures: Definition
The authors of the paper used a t-test as the statistic device that helped shed light on the connection between variables. Indeed, by definition, the specified statistical procedure provides the foundation for making assumptions concerning the ostensible correlation between variables (Creswell & Creswell, 2014). As a result, the outcomes of the analysis inform the choice of appropriate pain management and alleviation techniques for nurses.
Test Value and Level of Significance
The level of significance in the study can be deemed as high. Similarly, because of the use of trustworthy sources and evidence, the test value also reaches a high mark. Thus, the outcomes of the analysis can be used for structuring a comprehensive model for pain alleviation.
Reliability, Validity, and Measurement
The use of trustworthy sources makes the outcomes of the study reliable. Moreover, the validity rates are very high due to the adoption of an appropriate statistic tool and the avoidance of research biases. The measurement framework allowed delineating the connection between the study variables successfully.
Data Analysis and Presentation
The data was analyzed fully and comprehensively. The outcomes pointed to the necessity to adopt early PC techniques as the means of managing pain in cancer patients. The information was presented coherently and accurately.
Other Research Findings
The study also pointed to the need to identify patients’ backgrounds to locate possible obstacles to introducing them to interventions. The importance of patient education was also mentioned. The specified assumptions were linked directly to the key research outcomes.
Locating Limitations: Assessment
The authors listed the limitations of the study honestly. For example, the lack of a proper segmentation strategy prevented them from representing target demographics fully. Also, the research outcomes incorporated the recovery information for the patients that did not complete all components of the proposed intervention.
Practice Implications Identified
The paper offered a plethora of implications for evidence-based practice. For example, the necessity to use a PC-based culture-specific approach was outlined. Also, the results of the study will help design a general model for alleviating pain.
Application of the Article for Practice
The article can be used for practice successfully since it informs a nurse’s choice regarding the application of a palliative care technique. The research makes it evident that the adoption of an approach based on promoting patient education activities should be regarded as a necessity. By shedding light on how the patient can increase their health levels, a nurse will contribute to a significant improvement in recovery rates (Bartels et al., 2015).
References
Bakitas, M. A., Tosteson, T. D., Li, Z., Lyons, K. D., Hull, J. G., Li, Z.,… Azuero, A. (2015). Early versus delayed initiation of concurrent palliative oncology care: Patient outcomes in the ENABLE III randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 33(13), 1438-1445. Web.
Bartels, S. J., Pratt, S. I., Aschbrenner, K. A., Barre, L. K., Naslund, J. A., Wolfe, R.,… Feldman, J. (2015). Pragmatic replication trial of health promotion coaching for obesity in serious mental illness and maintenance of outcomes. American Journal of Psychiatry, 172(4), 344-352. Web.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
Paice, J. A., Portenoy, R., Lacchetti, C., Campbell, T., Cheville, A., Citron, M.,… Koyyalagunta, L. (2016). Management of chronic pain in survivors of adult cancers: American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 34(27), 3325-3345. Web.
Wilson, J. H., & Joye, S. W. (2016). Research methods and statistics: An integrated approach. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.