Translational Research: NUR550 Topic 4 Discussions
Topic 4 DQ 1
Distinguish between reliability and validity in research design. Using a translational research article from your graphic organizer, analyze the methods and results sections to discuss reliability and validity as it relates to the translational research. Include the permalink to the article in your reference.
Sample student response One
Quality research has a clear structure with the appropriate methods to measure what the researchers intended. The two elements used to assess whether research results are viable for practical implementation or to be used as a source of reference in other studies are validity and reliability. Validity refers to the level of accuracy a research instrument can measure what it was intended to measure. A simple example is the use of a thermometer which is a valid instrument to collect the temperature of the participants in a study that measures the frequency of fever in COVID-19 patients.
Reliability, on the other hand, is the ability of a research instrument to consistently obtain the same data, in the same situation, over repeated tests (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2019). An example is the use of a questionnaire to return the same answers to prompts repeatedly when participants are asked the same question in the same situation.
One of the articles in my graphic equalizer is an article by Butte e al. (2017). The article wanted to determine the comparative efficacy of a 12-month community-centered weight management program against a primary care-centered program in low-income children. The primary outcome of the research was to assess changes in weight, where the researchers used body mass index as the ideal measure.
The height and weight of the participants were measured using a digital scale and stadiometer. While the researcher didn’t explicitly describe the elements of validity and reliability in the paper, the research instruments used to collect the participants have been proven to be reliable and valid in other studies, including studies by Baharudin et al. (2017) and Kumar et al. (2014).
References
Baharudin, A., Ahmad, M. H., Naidu, B. M., Hamzah, N. R., Zaki, N. A. M., Zainuddin, A. A., & Nor, N. S. M. (2017). Reliability, Technical Error of Measurement and Validity of Height Measurement Using Portable Stadiometer. Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 25(3).
Butte, N. F., Hoelscher, D. M., Barlow, S. E., Pont, S., Durand, C., Vandewater, E. A., Liu, Y., Adolph, A. L., Pérez, A., Wilson, T. A., Gonzalez, A., Puyau, M. R., Sharma, S. V., Byrd-Williams, C., Oluyomi, A., Huang, T., Finkelstein, E. A., Sacher, P. M., & Kelder, S. H. (2017). Efficacy of a Community- Versus Primary Care-Centered Program for Childhood Obesity: TX CORD RCT. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 25(9), 1584–1593. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21929
Kumar, S. N., Omar, B., Htwe, O., Joseph, L. H., Krishnan, J., Jafarzedah Esfehani, A., & Min, L. L. (2014). Reliability, agreement, and validity of digital weighing scale with MatScan in limb load measurement. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 51(4), 591–598. https://doi.org/10.1682/JRRD.2013.07.0166
Melnyk, B. M., & Fineout-Overholt, E. (2019). Evidence-based practice in nursing and healthcare: A guide to best practice (4th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. ISBN-13: 9781496384539
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Sample student response Two
Engaging in any research in an attempt to seek solutions towards an issue is important, but key components on reliability and validity of the research design are quite critical. However, the validity and reliability of the research are different in different ways. The reliability of research is the concept at which the results of the research are consistently done using the same method, and the same results are consistently achieved in the same manner (Middleton, 2020).
The validity of research is the aspect of how accurate a research method measures what exactly it’s intended to measure in an effective manner. It is reported that the higher the accuracy of the measurements, the higher the levels of validation.
Translational research is a form of research that is intended to translate some research findings that are directly beneficial to humanities. As such, the author selected an article by Barrington et al. (20200 “Socioeconomic correlates of obesity in African-American and Caribbean-Black men and women.”
The research was conducted and utilized a cross-sectional study where and data was retrieved from the data from the database of the National Survey of American Life (NSAL), which works in a collaborative manner with the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The study used a sample size of 3570 from the African-American population and a sample size of 1621 from the Caribbean-Blacks from 18 years and above (Barrington et al., 2020).
The results of the study show that out of the sample size researched, African-American women were prevalent to obesity at 41.25%, followed by Caribbean-Black women at 31.1%. The African-American men followed closely at 29.9%, while Caribbean-American men recorded a 21.6% prevalence of obesity (Barrington et al., 2020).
For the cases of obesity amongst African-American men population, no significant relationship between obesity and their socioeconomic positions as opposed to Caribean-American population men whose socioeconomic position was associated with obesity. Consequently, the research has shown that populations residing to cross proximity to neighborhoods with low socioeconomic positions were prevalent to obesity.
References
Barrington, D. S., James, S. A., & Williams, D. R. (2020). Socioeconomic correlates of obesity in African-American and Caribbean-Black men and women. Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, 8(2), 422-432. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-020-00798-4
Middleton, F. (2020, June 26). Reliability vs validity in research | Differences, types and examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/reliability-vs-validity/
Topic 4 DQ 2
Identify a data collection tool you could use for your research. Consider how you could employ translational research to potentially overcome barriers, which may arise during data collection. Identify the best type of translational research to address this barrier and provide rationale for the type you have chosen. What strategies would you employ to provide an understanding of your chosen type of translational research and to gather collaborative support?
Sample student response one
The choice of data collection tool contributes significantly to the quality of research. Data collection tools have to be valid and reliable to obtain findings that can be translated into clinical practice (Heale & Twycross, 2015). In my research, I will use document analysis, where changes in the participants’ BMI will be recorded at intervals and analyzed to identify changes pre-and post-intervention. The approach of document analysis I intend to use will produce quantitative data.
One of the challenges that may arise during data collection is inconsistency in data collection. Translational research will help provide strategies on how other researchers overcame such barriers. Similarly, translational research can help ascertain the validity and reliability of the data collection methods used in research. The best type of translational research to address this barrier is T2 research.
T2 research provides an opportunity to learn about the efficacy of interventions in optimal settings. Therefore, the knowledge obtained in T2 research can help identify the basis of clinical applications, validity and reliability of data collection instruments, and the evidence-based guidelines that dictate the choice of a given intervention (Titler, 2018).
One of the strategies that could help provide an understanding of my selected type of translational research, and to gather collaborative support, is creating stakeholder sensitization. In this case, the stakeholders will understand the value of the research in improving community health outcomes, which will likely translate into collaborative support for the initiative.
References
Heale, R., & Twycross, A. (2015). Validity and reliability in quantitative studies. Evidence-based Nursing, 18(3), 66-67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/eb-2015-102129
Titler, M. G. (2018). Translation Research in Practice: An Introduction. Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 23(2), 1. https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol23No02Man01
Sample student response two
There are many techniques used to gather data for research such as: interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, observations, or textual ro content analysis (Paradis et al., 2016). With researching the need for an eMAR at the facility I currently work at, to show the decrease in medication errors when utilizing an eMAR, the techniques I would use is content analysis and observation. I would review the current MAR that are on paper, documenting errors found. I would also need to begin observing the nursing staff as they administer medications throughout their shifts to observe any errors or near errors and document any findings.
I would also interview nurses for any self-reporting errors made during medication administration. Barriers would be with looking through paper documentation, if nursing missed documenting medications but went back and documented later…there would not necessarily be an error to find. Also, if the nurse did not self-report an error or report a near-error, would also skew the findings.
I think the best way to collect accurate, valid data is to start now or in near future prior to the eMAR actually being implemented, allowing for more observation to be documented with errors. The fact that there is nothing done on the computer and therefore nothing is time stamped, thus nursing has the opportunity to go and back chart missed information that would have otherwise been detected through an eMAR.
This would give more accurate data than going back and researching months of MARs in the past. By having all the data collected prior to the eMAR being implemented would allow a more accurate comparison months after implementation of the eMAR.
Reference:
https://doi.org/10.4300/jgme-d-16-00098.1
Jermaine Byrant
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