---
title: "Evidence-based nursing"
chunk: 3/5
source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evidence-based_nursing"
category: "reference"
tags: "science, encyclopedia"
date_saved: "2026-05-05T04:25:37.279571+00:00"
instance: "kb-cron"
---

== Qualitative research process ==
One method of research for evidence-based practice in nursing is 'qualitative research': The word implies an entity and meanings that are not experimentally examined or measured in terms of quantity, amount, frequency, or intensity.
With qualitative research, researchers learn about patient experiences through discussions and interviews. The point of qualitative research is to provide beneficial descriptions that allow insight into patient experiences. 
"Hierarchies of research evidence traditionally categorize evidence from weakest to strongest, with  an emphasis on support for the effectiveness of interventions. That this perspective tends to dominate the evidence-based practice literature makes the merit of qualitative research unclear;" 1   Some people view qualitative research as less beneficial and effective, with its lack of numbers, the fact that it is "feeling-based" research, makes the opponents associate it with bias. Nevertheless, the ability to empathetically understand an individual's experience (whether it be with cancer, pressure ulcers, trauma, etc.), can benefit not only other patients, but the health care workers providing care.
For qualitative research to be reliable, the testing must be unbiased. To achieve this, researchers must use random and non-random samples to obtain concise information about the topic being studied. If available, a control group should be in use, if possible with the qualitative studies that are done. Evidence should be gathered from every available subject within the sample to create balance and dissolve any bias. There should also be several researchers doing the interviewing to obtain different perspectives about the subject. Researchers must also obtain negative information as well as the positive information gathered to support the data. This will help to show the researchers were unbiased and were not trying to hide negative results from readers, and actually makes it possible to objectively understand the phenomenon under investigation. The inclusion of this negative information will strengthen the researchers' initial study, and may actually work in favor to support the hypothesis. Any data that has been gathered must be appropriately documented. If the data collected was obtained from interviews or observation, it must all be included.
Dates, times and gender of the sample may be needed, providing background on subjects, such as breast cancer in women over thirty-five. Any pertinent information pertaining to the sample must be included for the reader to judge the study as worthy.
In addition, the current evidence-based practice (EBP) movement in healthcare emphasizes that clinical decision making should be based on the "best evidence" available, preferably the findings of randomized clinical trials. Within this context qualitative research findings are considered to have little value and the old debate in nursing has been re-ignited related as to whether qualitative versus quantitative research findings provides the best empirical evidence for nursing practice.
In response to this crisis qualitative scholars have been called upon by leaders in the field to clarify for outsiders what qualitative research is and to be more explicit in pointing out the utility of qualitative research findings.
In addition, attention to "quality" in qualitative research has been identified as an area worthy of renewed focus. Within this paper two key problems related to addressing these issues are reviewed: disagreement not only among "outsiders" but also some nursing scholars related to the definition of "qualitative research", and a lack of consensus related how to best address "rigor" in this type of inquiry.
Based on this review a set of standard requirements for qualitative research published in nursing journals is proposed that reflects a uniform definition of qualitative research and an enlarged yet clearly articulated conceptualization of quality. The approach suggested provides a framework for developing and evaluating qualitative research that would have both defensible scholarly merit and heuristic value. This will help solidify the argument in favor of incorporating qualitative research findings as part of the empirical "evidence" upon which evidence-based nursing is founded.

== Legal and ethical issues of research ==
Both legal and ethical issues are important in considering patient-based research. The American Nurses Association (ANA) has set up five basic rights for patient protection:

Right to self-determination
Right to privacy and dignity
Right to anonymity and confidentiality
Right to fair treatment
Right to protection from discomfort and harm.
These rights apply to both researchers and participants.  Informed consent is one area that nurses must be familiar with in order to complete research.  Informed consent is "the legal principle that governs the patient's ability to accept or reject individual medical interventions designed to diagnose or treat an illness".  Informed consent can only be obtained before the procedure and after potential risks have been explained to the participant. When dealing with the ethical portion of evidence-based practice, the Institutional Review Boards (IRB) review research projects to assess that ethical standards are being followed.  The institutional review board is responsible for protecting subjects from risk and loss of personal rights and dignity. The IRB also come into play when deciding on which populations can be included in research.  Vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, physically disabled or elderly maybe excluded from the process. Nurses must notify the IRB of any ethical or legal violations.
It is important to be up to date on all the appropriate state laws and regulations regarding vulnerable populations.  This may mean consulting with lawyers, clinicians, ethicists, as well as the affiliated IRB.  It is imperative that researchers act as advocates for these vulnerable persons that cannot do so for themselves.