RUNNING HEAD: ARTICLE CRITIQUE 1

Article Critique

Alyssa Matulich

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

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According to Burns and Grove, quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic

study process to describe and test relationships and to examine cause and effect interactions among

variables (2013). The author of the study identifies that the study contains a quantitative

assessment within the title, but the reader can also conclude the study is quantitative by recognizing

that authors collected and analyzed data using statistical and mathematical tools in order to

examine a cause and effect relationship.

The researchers of the study are Kari Sand-Jecklin, EdD, MSN, RN, AHN-BC in

correspondence with Jay Sherman, CNRN, ME and clinical research nurse. Kari Sand-Jecklin is

an associate professor of nursing at West Virginia University and as stated above has received his

Doctor of Nursing Science. Jay Sherman is the clinical research nurse at West Virginia University

Healthcare and is a registered nurse certified in neuroscience. Both contributors are more than

qualified to take part in this study as indicated by their certifications and degrees in the nursing

field.

The title of the article is A quantitative assessment of patient and nurse outcomes of bedside

nursing report implementation (Sand-Jecklin and Sherman, 2014). This title is appropriate of the

study because it states what type of study was completed, what the topic of the study is, and the

variables within the study is a clear and concise way. Sacred Heart University Library states that

a title should state the purpose, tone, and methods used within the study all of which this research

article title contains (Balch, n.d.). The Library also suggested that a good title be limited to 10 to

15 substantive words.

An introductory paragraphs purpose is to establish the context of a research study by

summarizing background information, the purpose, and potential outcomes of the study. The
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authors of the article do a great job of stating why this research is relevant by including the goals

of JCAHO and how this study aims to help reach that goal within the introduction. The introduction

paragraph does give brief background information but is followed by an additional paragraph that

solely focuses on background information. The background information in the introductory

paragraph may be brief, but it is concise and important because it lends itself to catching the

attention of the reader. The purpose of the research study is clearly identified at the end of the

introductory paragraph stating, “the goal of the Medical Surgical Research Utilization Team at

West Virginia to implement a change in practice to a blended form of bedside nurse shift handoff,

and to evaluate this new format in terms of patient and nurse satisfaction as well as impact on

patient safety” (Sand-Jecklin and Sherman, 2014).

A problem statement aims to answer the question “so what”. For a good problem statement

the authors of a study should introduce the reader to the significance of the study, the purpose of

the paper, define the parameters of what is being investigated, and provide a framework for

reporting the results (Bryman, 2007). The research problem stated in Sherman and Sand-Jecklin’s

article is stated within the background paragraph. The research problem is identified in regard to

strategies for implementation of bedside report as a gap in the literature in terms of documenting

quantitative patient and nurse outcomes. This problem statement states the purpose of the paper as

filing the gap in the literature, defines the parameters as nurse and patient outcomes, and provide

the framework by stating it is reporting the results quantitatively. The statement is overall a good

statement but lacks information on why this topic is significant.

Every research study should include a hypothesis which is an educated guess about the

relationship between two or more variables (Bryman, 2017). Sherman and Sand-Jecklin include

their hypothesis within the abstract and predicted that “if properly implemented, nursing bedside
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report can result in improved patient and nursing satisfaction and patient safety outcomes (Sand-

Jecklin and Sherman, 2014). This hypothesis is adequate because it predicts a positive relationship

between the dependent variables, which are nursing satisfaction and patient safety outcome, and

the independent variable which is proper nursing bedside report. The hypothesis makes sense

because as stated in the introduction miscommunication is the leading factor sentinel patient events

so assuming that proper communication with bedside report would have a positive influence on

patient safety outcomes (Sand-Jecklin and Sherman, 2014).

Sand-Jecklin and Sherman reviewed and listed thirty-four articles for the purpose of this

study. In my opinion thirty-four references is an adequate number to cover all bases in order to

determine if there truly is a gap in the research that would make this study significant. The

resources referenced in this article are relevant to the topic being studied. A majority of the

resources concern bed-side report which is what the authors of the studies plan to implement. Other

resources address the dependent variables of patient safety outcomes and nursing satisfaction. Only

six of the resources included as a reference are current and within the last five years. Twenty-four

articles listed on the reference page were published within the last ten years. Ten articles were

published more than ten years ago with the oldest article being published in 1994.

When conducting a research study, ethical practices should be used when implementing

changes in order to prove the accuracy of a hypothesis. After analyzing Sand-Jecklin and

Sherman’s study, in my opinion ethical practices were used. Patient information was kept private,

consent to take part in bed-side report was obtained, and patient safety was of utmost concern

when conducting the study.

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The study does not identify a framework for the research study. According to Burns and

Grove all quantitative studies have a theoretical framework to guide the methodology (2013). This

study has a middle-range theory because it applies to practice and focuses explanation and

implementation (Burns and Grove, 2013).

Burns and Grove states that operational terms indicate how a variable will be measured

(2013). Sand-Jecklin and Sherman use surveys to obtain data for their study. The study uses a five-

point Likert-type response scale in which five indicate excellent care and one indicates poor care

to determine patient satisfaction and a Likert-type format with five agreement options ranging

from strongly agree to strongly disagree for nurse perception surveys ((Sand-Jecklin and Sherman,

2014). The terms are appropriate for this study because the authors were aiming to quantify their

data and these scales or definitions allow them to do so. The operational terms do help clarify the

study because tables including the mean scores were included and the definitions allow the reader

to understand the data presented. Without the operational definitions the date presented in the

article would be meaningless to the reader.

An important part of a research study to consider is the research design. Analyzing the

method to assign subjects is necessary to help identify bias and limitations. There were groups of

subjects studied. The first group were the patients. To obtain the patient data, patient surveys

were distributed to a convenience sample of patients who had been hospitalized for at least 48

hours and were scheduled for discharge (Sand-Jecklin and Sherman, 2014). The surveys were

delivered to the patients meeting these qualifications on seven medical-surgical units in a large

university hospital in mid-Atlanta. Nurses who worked on the seven medical surgical units

received an email including a survey. The participants voluntarily answered and returned the

surveys. In order for a study to have randomization, subjects have to be assigned to a group by
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chance not by choice. This study is not randomized. There are two types of variables

independent and dependent. The independent variable in this study is the bed-side report because

it is the variable that is changed or controlled. The dependent variables in the study are the

patient and nurse outcomes because they are what is being measured and directly dependent on

the independent variable. This study does good job avoiding bias. The authors who conducted

the study are associated with a West Virginia University and the study was conducted in a mid-

Atlanta hospital. The conductors of the study did not have any influence on how the patients or

nurses answered the survey questions. There is no apparent conflict of interest.

Population and sample are important factors of a research study. This study had to

groups. The first group were patients or their families if the patients were unable to respond that

met the qualifications mentioned above. The second group studied were the nurses who took care

of the patients. No particular age group was identified for the patients. The most common age of

the nurses who participated were 22-34 years old, but no specific age range was identified (Sand-

Jecklin and Sherman, 2014). Two hundred and thirty-three patients completed the baseline data

collection, one hundred and fifty-seven patient surveys were completed three-month

postimplementation, and one hundred and fifty-four at thirteen months postimplementation. For

the patient survey seventy family members filled out the baseline, seventy-two filled out the

three months, and fifty-three filled out the thirteen-month postimplementation surveys. For the

purpose of this study I think the sample size is adequate. The sample size of nurses looks at

seven nursing units in a hospital which is a large number. As for the patient sample size a large

number of patients participated in the study and the data could be generalized for similar units.

More data would need to be collected in order to be able to generalize the data for different types

of units like ICUs or surgical units because the environment, stressors and patient outcomes may
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be different and external factors may need to be considered. The data collection method included

surveys as well reviewing medical records, time cards, and nurse errors.

Looking at the data provided within the article the study was not statistically significant.

To be statistically significant means that there is a likelihood that the relationship between two

variables is caused by something other than chance and measured with a p value. To be

statistically significant the p value should be less than 0.05. There are many p values for each

question on the surveys included in the data tables. Most p values are greater than 0.05 (Sand-

Jecklin and Sherman, 2014). No confidence interval was included in the study. This study is

significant to nursing field even though it was not statistically significant. The data obtained

resulted in important information regarding patient care. As a result of the study it was found that

patient falls, and medication errors decreased with bedside report. Patient perception was also

related to bedside report. The field of nursing strives to make patient outcomes positive and if

bed side report and assist in doing so, then perhaps it should be implemented.

The author did not list any assumptions as a part of the article but did list limitations. One

of the limitations mentioned was the use of the convenience sample (Sand-Jecklin and Sherman,

2014). Because a convenience sample was used, the respondents may not have fully represented

the total population on the units. Another limitation mentioned was the fact that there was no

way to ensure that each nurse only took the survey once because identifiers were not included.

Inconsistences in bed side report were mentioned in the study, but the inconsistencies were not

measured. The last limitation mentioned was the fact that a medication reporting system was also

implemented which could have impacted the data within the study.

When looking at conclusions, the authors found several positive outcomes of the study.

Every item listed on the surveys showed some type of improvement when comparing the 13-
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month postimplementation results to the baseline, but the change was not significant of most

items (Sand-Jecklin and Sherman, 2014). Nurse attitudes also changed positively when

comparing the three months to the 13-month postimplementation survey results. There was also a

decrease in falls at shift change with the implementation of bed-side report. The only negative

outcome that was of significance was the nurse perception related to the length of report even

though the data did not support this.

The authors of the study did make a few suggestions for future research. One suggestion

made was the need for quantitative studies for blended report in the acute care setting. The

authors also suggested that future research include ways to measure inconsistencies with bed side

report. These suggestions are important for future researchers to consider in order to determine

what the best practice is for nursing report.

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References

Balch, T. (n.d.). Research Guides: Organizing Academic Research Papers: Choosing a Title.

Retrieved from https://library.sacredheart.edu/c.php?g=29803&p=185911

Bryman, A. (2007). Research Guides: Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Paper: The

Research Problem/Question. Retrieved from

http://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/introduction/researchproblem

Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (2013). The Practice of Nursing Research; Appraisal, Synthesis, and

Generation of evidence (7th ed). Saunders, Elsevier. ISBN: 9780323377584

Sand-Jecklin, K., & Sherman, J. (2014). A quantitative assessment of patient and nurse outcomes

of bedside nursing report implementation. Journal of Clinical Nursing,23(19-20), 2854-

2863. doi:10.1111/jocn.12575