While quantitative studies provide valuable information for further research and clinical practice, they might contain some serious flaws. Out of all questions related to the study’s credibility, the article by Sand-Jecklin and Sherman (2014) contained the answers only for the six of them. On the one hand, four positive answers were related to the source, evidence support of the research question, proper delivery of the intervention, and the consistency of the findings to the results of other studies. On the other hand, there were two negative responses concerning the reliability of the measuring instruments and the control of extraneous variables and bias.
Moreover, the appraisal of the quantitative study helped to detect the main flaw associated with the weakness of the sampling method selected by the researchers. According to Brown (2018), convenience sampling is drawn from an available population. It is the easiest way to collect data, but it might negatively affect the research’s credibility as it is prone to bias. Thus, the researchers should extract the sample from a particular population based on demographics, health conditions, or symptoms (Brown, 2018). However, the study in question utilized the samples from the available patient and nurse populations regardless of their characteristics and did not include the participants’ comprehensive profile. Therefore, the credibility of the study was undermined by the improper use of a sampling method.
The findings of the study demonstrate the positive impact of a blended bedside shift report, but the data obtained by the researchers may not be considered credible. Some findings are consistent with the results of the previous studies, but they should not be used in an assessment of a patient handoff without additional efforts to improve their credibility. There are several ways to improve the credibility of the study and make it appropriate for further implementation. Firstly, the samples obtained via a survey method should present a target population (Brown, 2018). Secondly, the survey should be clear and accessible to avoid any inconsistencies in the responses. Finally, the convenience sampling method might be replaced with random sampling to improve credibility and properly represent the actual population.
References
Brown, S. J. (2018). Evidence-based nursing: The research-practice connection (4th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Sand-Jecklin, K. & Sherman, J. (2014). A quantitative assessment of patient and nurse outcomes of bedside nursing report implementation. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23, 2854-2863. Web.
Reproduced with permission from: Brown, S. J. (2018). Evidence-based nursing: The research-practice connection (4th ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.