Theoretical Framework
Many patients experience chest pains which they cannot easily establish the actual cause due to a variety of possible causative agents. It is against this backdrop that it is often advisable for patients who encounter such chest pains to seek prompt medical check-ups for a comprehensive diagnosis and early treatment.
Research question
Are patients with chest pains receiving the right treatment and care to alleviate the suffering which is affecting their daily lives? Adequate and more experienced healthcare experts are required to provide the much-needed support to these patients.
Problem
Patients with chest pains often lack clear identification of the medical condition, especially in regard to the cause and effect. Chest pain has quite often been an issue requiring emergency attention in hospitals. The main problem, however, arises when confusion reigns between establishing a clear-cut difference between a somatic disorder and a cardiovascular-related complication. This is why the only way of solving this medical problem is through undergoing a thorough screening procedure.
Purpose
There are patients who undergo through chest pains which have not been diagnosed or vividly established in terms of cause and health effects. Such patients may suffer a lot especially if proper and timely treatment is not carried out. As a result, this experimental study was aimed at establishing the health experience which is usually encountered by patients who have been affected by chest pains. The study also extends the effects of these chest pains on the day-to-day life of patients.
Hypothesis
Since the development of chest pains is often confused for other related conditions, the pain which patients go through can be qualitatively determined and useful conclusions drawn over the same. The practice of nursing which attempts to study the effect of chest pains in everyday life is quite adequate in giving the right insights into the diagnosis and treatment of chest pains.
Independent variable
The independent variables in this research study represented all those factors which could be altered due to the flexibility of doing so. These were elements within the study which would duly affect the end result of the purpose of study. For example, musculoskeletal disorder is an independent variable in patients who suffer from unexplained chest pains. Panic as well as breathing complications which cause unexplained chest pains are also independent variables because such factors can be manipulated (Jerlock, Gaston &Danielson, 2005).
Dependent variable
A dependent variable in the research study would represent the outcomes observed as a consequence of altering or manipulating the independent variables. The duration of chest pain is a dependant variable because it is determined by the changes made in the affected body organ during treatment. Further, the location of pain in the chest is a dependent variable because it is as a result of the spot being affected. Other sub categories of dependent variables related to pain are intensity and the sensory elements of chest pains.
Population
The number of people patients interviewed in the study was relevant in establishing the right results. As a result, a total of nineteen patients with chest pains were interviewed (Jerlock, Gaston &Danielson, 2005). In addition, the population of both genders was fairly balanced with eleven males and eight females represented in the research study.
Setting
The experimental study was carried out in a real hospital environment within an emergency room. This was to enable the determination of actual and realistic results in a hospital setting.
Sampling method
In order to carry out the research study, a sample of nineteen people was used. To ensure fair and realistic representation of both genders, the numbers were almost balanced. A total of eleven men were used (Jerlock, Gaston &Danielson, 2005). On the other hand, eight females participated in the study. The entire sample to be interviewed was then referred into a hospital emergency room. The interview questions were sampled at random without any organised structure. Finally, the sampled interview questions were analysed and results interpreted.
Reference
Jerlock M, Gaston- J Johansson F and Danielson E. (2005) Journal of Clinical Nursing 14, 956–964.