Appraising A Qualitative Study

On reading this article and identifying the study, there was a clear insight on how death and dying, and even improved health, impacted those nurses (Conte, 2014). Nurses, who worked closely with their patients, through the perils and suffering, culminating of death and losses, had grief not readily explored to enable that comfort zone (Conte, 2014).

Target population was pregnant women less than fourteen weeks gestation that had a sedentary lifestyle. The researcher used two data collection instruments to complete this study. The first is The Cornell Protocol Fitness Tool that measured cardiovascular fitness level and peak oxygen consumption. The second data collection instrument used was The Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire assessed energy expenditure and daily physical activity. Candidates were excluded if they had chronic hypertension, gestational diabetes, and any medical condition that will prohibit daily exercise, communication problems, or recommendation of primary care provider not to participate (Yeo 2009).

This literature review will look into obesity in pregnancy and the influences its has on maternity care. The review will explore specifically health promotion including weight, dietary and exercise advice given to obese women, and will explore the challenges that come with giving weight related advice for the midwife and the women involved.

Nurses are responsible in providing holistic, quality care to their clients. In order to effectively provide such care Boswell and Cannon (2009, p. 2 & 7) states that nurses must base their provision of care on the most current, up-to-date health information available and sound nursing knowledge. This is where evidence-based practice (EBP) comes in. Polit and Beck (2010, p. 4) defined EBP as "the use of the best clinical evidence in making patient care desicions". This usually comes from research conducted by nurses and other healthcare professionals. Thus it is pertinent that research reports are critically analyzed.

According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2011-2012, more than 34% of all adults are obese in that their BMI exceeds 24 (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014). Interestingly, though this prevalence is high, it seems as though there has not been an increase since the same study done from 2003-2004. This seems to imply that we have plateaued at the peak that we have been rising towards since 1976 (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2014). To take this further, during the time of increasing incidences, in a study done from 1990-2004, it was seen that “the incidence of maternal obesity at the start of pregnancy [was] increasing and accelerating” which corresponds with the previous study’s findings (Heslehurst, et al.,

Quantitative and qualitative research studies are both significant in nursing. In this paper, I will be critiquing two articles using both approaches. Using Walden’s database system, the articles will be located and compared to one another. After this assignment, I hope to gain a better understanding if critiquing research articles.

The qualitative article being appraised is by Martin and Woods (2012) using the CASP tool qualitative framework (CASP 2013). These tools have been validated to ensure that studies can be assessed in a consistent way assessing the trustworthiness of the research article (Aveyard, 2014)

The convenience sampling that was used in recruiting all male patients who were on blood pressure medications is a glaring bias in this study. There was no information provided addressing why the patients were presenting to the clinic. There are many interventions that can raise blood pressure. For example, the study conducted by Marshall, Anantharachagan, Choudhary, Chue and Kaurhis, (2002) investigated the effect of situational anxiety on blood pressure experienced in anticipation of a blood test. Marshall, et. al., (2002) found that anticipation of a blood test can raise blood pressure. Foster-Fitzpatrick, et. al., 1999 did not address the purpose of the patient’s visit to the clinic.

One phase of the Evidence-Based Nursing is the critical reading. The critical reading of sa nursing research literature is an indispensable tool that any professional who wants to base their practice on evidence should be handled with fluency. Qualitative research is sometimes surrounded by certain misconceptions, as thinking that it is not scientific or objective, that is subjective and it is less important than quantitative research. It is important to clarify that work primarily by assessing the importance of the research studie, and conducting a detailed analysis of the research in order to prove if the research is or not reliable. It is important to respect as much as possible the original text in the description of the diferents

Everyone possess critical thinking skills but when it comes to criticize a journal article it can be difficult for the first time, one of the best ways to develop critical thinking and reading skills is to use some strategies when reading and evaluating a research study (Wood & Haber,1998). The following essay it is going to focus in a critique of a qualitative journal article by giving its strengths and weakness, critical appraisal it is going to be done with support from different references and frameworks relevant to a qualitative study.

With a multitude of environmental factors playing an ever-increasing role in the reasons for obesity, it is hard to focus on one reason as the 'root' cause of obesity. Ever-decreasing levels of physical activity, married with poor dietary habits are two likely causes of the obesity epidemic. Samaras et al. (1999) concluded that physical activity is the strongest environmental influence on total-body fat-mass in healthy middle-aged women. An inverse relationship was clearly apparent between physical activity and total-body and

Described below is a critical appraisal of a qualitative article by Lisa Booth using the frame-work suggested by Ryan, Coughlan and Cronin 2007 to establish its believability, robustness, credibility and integrity (Ryan, Coughlan & Cronin, 2007).

In conclusion, this essay was dealt about a critical appraisal of qualitative study using CASP tool. By doing this module as a nursing student, this helped the author of this essay, to understand the importance of using the critical appraisal in the clinical practice. It also made the student nurse aware, by practicing the critical skills will help to improve the professional standard of competence according to the NMC code (2016). In order to improve the skills in the nursing practice, the student nurse decided to use a structure for her critical frame work, maintaining a reflective diary, and use the up to date evidence in the practice.

According to Young and Solomon (2009) critical appraisal is a systematic process which can identify both, the strengths and weaknesses of a research study. During this process the reader is able to assess studies’ usefulness and whether or not the findings are trustworthy, it also supports in decision making in terms of whether to apply the study’s results in practice

Throughout the past ten weeks, I have grown in my understanding of nursing research on all levels. I feel that the most essential knowledge I have gained is the ability to critically review a research article. Because of this class, I have a better grasp on the necessary components to include, as well as how to determine rigor and validity in research. This is a valuable skill which I will utilize throughout my career as a nurse practitioner. I anticipate applying this knowledge as I review articles to determine which intervention is best to incorporate into management plans for my patients. As an example, if I am