CNE Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A nurse educator wants to explore the lived experience of new graduate nurses transitioning to practice. Which qualitative methodology is BEST suited?
- Grounded theory
- Phenomenology (Correct answer)
- Content analysis
- Action research
Correct answer: Phenomenology
Phenomenology focuses on exploring and describing the lived experience of participants, making it ideal for understanding subjective transition experiences.
Question 2: In evidence-based practice, which action follows the step of 'asking a clinical question'?
- Appraising the evidence
- Acquiring the evidence (Correct answer)
- Applying the evidence
- Assessing outcomes
Correct answer: Acquiring the evidence
After formulating a clinical question, the next EBP step is acquiring (searching for) the best available evidence in the literature.
Question 3: What is the MAIN advantage of using a Likert scale in nursing education research surveys?
- It eliminates social desirability bias
- It allows measurement of attitudes along a continuum (Correct answer)
- It ensures interval-level measurement precision
- It generates qualitative narrative data
Correct answer: It allows measurement of attitudes along a continuum
Likert scales capture degree of agreement or disagreement along a continuum, allowing nuanced measurement of attitudes and opinions.
Question 4: A nurse educator is evaluating a study for Level of Evidence. Where does 'expert opinion without explicit critical appraisal' fall on the hierarchy?
- Level I — highest evidence
- Level II — strong evidence
- Level V or VI — lower evidence (Correct answer)
- Level III — moderate evidence
Correct answer: Level V or VI — lower evidence
Expert opinion without systematic review or empirical evidence is typically placed at the lowest levels (V or VI) of most evidence hierarchies.
Question 5: Which statistical test is MOST appropriate when comparing pre- and post-test scores from the same group of nursing students?
- Independent samples t-test
- Chi-square test
- Paired samples t-test (Correct answer)
- ANOVA
Correct answer: Paired samples t-test
A paired samples t-test compares two related measurements from the same subjects, controlling for individual variability.
Question 6: A nurse educator reads a study with an internal consistency reliability coefficient (Cronbach's alpha) of 0.62 for a new instrument. How should this be interpreted?
- Excellent reliability; the instrument is ready for use
- Acceptable reliability for clinical instruments
- Questionable reliability; improvement may be needed (Correct answer)
- Perfect reliability; no measurement error
Correct answer: Questionable reliability; improvement may be needed
Cronbach's alpha below 0.70 is generally considered questionable reliability, suggesting the instrument items may not consistently measure the same construct.
Question 7: When a researcher uses 'member checking' in qualitative research, the PRIMARY goal is to:
- Ensure participant confidentiality
- Verify the accuracy of interpretations with participants (Correct answer)
- Increase the sample size representativeness
- Obtain informed consent retrospectively
Correct answer: Verify the accuracy of interpretations with participants
Member checking involves sharing findings or interpretations with participants to confirm that the researcher's analysis accurately reflects their experiences.
CNE Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice 3
A nurse educator wants to explore the lived experience of new graduate nurses transitioning to practice.
Which qualitative methodology is BEST suited?