UNIT CODE AND UNIT NAME: Research and Evidence Based Practice

UNIT CODE AND UNIT NAME: Research and Evidence Based Practice

TITLE OF THE ASSIGNMENT: journal Critique

STUDENT NAME AND ID: Veronica Niyoyitungira- s4591720

WORD COUNT:1987

Research Paper: Egestad, L.K., Gyldenvang, H.H., & Jarden, M. (2020).My husband has breast cancer: A qualitative study of experiences of female partners of men with breast cancer.Cancer Nursing,43(5), p. 366-374.

For many years, research has played an important role in assisting healthcare professionals in making more informed judgments when dealing with health issues or difficulties (Jameson & Walsh, 2017). Rather than assuming that all research papers are reliable, it is critical that the health professional possess the abilities to carefully examine the study findings and identify the source's dependability. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool was used to critically evaluate the article (Horton, 2019). To ensure a legitimate and objective approach to the assessment process, the critiquing framework was used to evaluate the selected article. The remainder of this paper is made up of the findings of this critiquing process, including the identification of the article's strengths and flaws (Horton, 2019). The most recent literature will be used as evidence to guide and establish the article's validity.

The paper's title clearly states the goals, indicating that a qualitative technique was utilised, that males with breast cancer are the primary demographic of interest, and that the study's goal. The research paper's heading should be carefully stated, ensuring that readers can grasp the aims being given and that inter-researcher confusion may be avoided. The research paper's authors have a proven track record of publishing and are all members of the University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen University Hospital, and specialise in oncology (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019).

A well-structured document should include a quick description of the primary features, as well as the purpose, design, results, and an outline of the study's implications ("Structure of a Research Paper | Undergraduate Research", 2021). The authors organised the material nicely by offering a concise synopsis of the important components discussed. The report effectively addresses the issue by outlining the strategy taken, the process used to create the design, and how the study was carried out, as well as the findings and their implications.

The authors correctly address the study's rationale in light of a complete and current literature on the research done. The authors discuss the stigma that men's partners face when they have breast cancer and how it affects their daily life, including the need for information, care, and support (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019). The therapy of women with breast cancer differs from that of males with breast cancer, according to the study (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019). The literature review relies on current policy and research to support the need for the current study, and the paper's goal is correspondingly developed. The authors declare that the goal of the study paper is to conduct a thorough investigation of the lived experiences of partners of men with breast cancer, citing a dearth of knowledge on the subject as justification for using a qualitative approach (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019). Consent from subjects and, most crucially, the ethics committee is required for conducting research. However, before collecting data, ethical considerations were explored, and only eleven of the fifteen randomly selected patients' partners were contacted to participate in the study because the other three did not provide consent (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019). By obtaining consent before collecting data, the authors followed the ethical consideration of capacity ("Gale - Product Login", 2021). When doing a qualitative study, it is well understood that a methodological approach is necessary to support the goal (i.e data of experiences). To understand concepts, opinions, or experiences, qualitative research entails gathering and analysing non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio) (EKEN, 2020). A strong philosophical research basis is generally included in a successful qualitative study, which aids in explaining the methods used to collect data, as well as analysing and translating the findings appropriately (EKEN, 2020). However, the authors omitted to discuss their philosophical perspective in this study, which is a shortcoming.

Despite the lack of a written explanation of the philosophical position, the writers were able to adequately discuss and justify the technique, design, and other processes (EKEN, 2020). The study's core concepts are carefully described in an additional appendix, and they connect to the themes discovered during the literature background search, allowing for an adequate identification of relevant issues for research (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019). The study used a phenomenological hermeneutical analysis approach to conduct semi-structured individual interviews. Hermeneutic phenomenology is a qualitative research method that allows researchers to investigate how life experiences, traditions, and culture impact ordinary, everyday actions (Oerther, 2020). The procedure for conducting semi-structured individual interviews is not detailed in the body of the paper, but it is detailed in the additional appendix, which includes information about the location, length, and procedure of the interviews, which is an important indicator of research transparency (Oerther, 2020). Semi-structured interviews with recorded transcripts are regarded as an auditable and thus valid method of conducting qualitative research (Oerther, 2020).

The participants in the study were chosen at random and had to meet a series of strict requirements. This is known as deliberate sampling, and it is commonly employed in qualitative research to identify and select data-rich examples linked to the topic of interest. Because female spouses of males with breast cancer represent a distinct category, this is an appropriate method of acquiring data. The participants were all females who had breasts, which limited the number of people who could take part in the study (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019). Furthermore, the authors guaranteed objectivity in the research technique by excluding patients who had previously worked with the researchers in a clinical capacity, while also ensuring that participants capacity to participate was assessed and utilised to guide the selection process (Wolgemuth et al., 2014). Overall, the sample method may limit the findings' generalizability to other locations or patient groups, but it is a suitable fit for the current study's objectives (Wolgemuth et al., 2014). However, it should be noted that the sample technique may have resulted in bias in patient selection, as patients with strong feelings about service quality or their own experiences were more inclined to communicate their views. However, a few participants who declined to participate because they were uncomfortable with the research may have distinct perspectives on service utilisation that would not have been investigated in this study (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019).

Hermeneutic phenomenology drove the data analysis process, as it was an acceptable technique for this study given the requirement to analyse individual patients' actual experiences, and phenomenology is a well-established approach (Egestad, Gyldenvang & Jarden, 2019). This data analysis method has been tested and validated in various research settings, indicating that it is appropriate for use in this research paper (Oerther, 2020). The approach is well-structured and well-designed to allow for the identification and synthesis of the female partners of men with breast cancer lived experiences, which is in line with the paper's goal (Oerther, 2020). Individual researchers injecting bias into the analytical process is also reduced when numerous researchers are used to analyse data.

However, when doing a qualitative study, it's crucial to consider the researcher's involvement, as researchers might have an impact on the data collected and the analytic process (Horton, 2019). One shortcoming of the theoretical foundation of the work is that the authors fail to provide an overview of the researcher's involvement in this investigation. It might be claimed that the author's function as a source of social desirability bias has been highlighted, which is an essential aspect to consider (Horton, 2019). It's worth noting that the study's authors believed their effect would be limited because they weren't in direct clinical contact with any of the participants, which could apply to their clinical job but not necessarily to their position.

The paper's findings are based on the aforementioned analytical approach and are provided as a series of main themes or topic areas in which the authors provide a summary of the findings from all 11 participants, with direct quotations from the interview transcripts to support these summaries (Islam, 2020). This is a frequent way of presenting qualitative data sets that are thematic in character, and it is thus warranted (Islam, 2020). The use of quotations allows the reader to connect the researchers' assertions to the actual transcripts, enhancing the research process' credibility. All of the themes are appropriate and relevant to the research goal, and each one is sufficiently investigated to suggest that they are appropriate research outcomes. Themes and sub-themes might have been recognised in a tabular manner to support the narrative presentation while also establishing a clear relationship between themes and the original transcript data, which would have been beneficial to the reader (Islam, 2020).

The discussion section summarises the major findings of the study and attempts to contextualise them in the context of female partners of men with breast cancer and related literature ("Research Methods: Summary | Better Thesis", 2021). The discussion part is well-referenced, with modern sources cited to back up the authors' claims. Indeed, the discussion section should be heavily referenced to show that the writers have thought about their findings in light of past research or knowledge gaps ("Research Methods: Summary | Better Thesis", 2021). The writers accomplish this while remaining topical in their approach to the study question.

The authors of the paper also present a full analysis of their work's merits and faults, which is advocated in the literature as a method of self-appraisal. The authors correctly point out that the findings' external validity is limited due to the study's small-scale and geographically restricted character (Mackenzie, Tan, Hoverman & Baldwin, 2012). Furthermore, the authors appear to have taken into account other limitations (as mentioned above), implying an open and honest assessment of the research process.

The paper's conclusion focuses on the study's implications for service design and future research. It's worth noting that the authors say that the relevance of their study resides in providing an overview of patient experiences, and that it may be restricted in influencing service design without additional research. Indeed, this type of research frequently generates hypotheses rather than being directly related to real actions that could be utilised to improve services. The authors' ideas and conclusions, on the other hand, are sensible and realistic, and closely relate to their findings. Finally, the suggested future research directions successfully build on the current study's findings while exposing knowledge gaps and the need for specialised sorts of research in this demographic.

Overall, many of the standard characteristics of a well-conducted qualitative research process are met in this study, including the identification of a suitable data collecting and analytic approach, as well as the interpretation of the findings from a qualitative perspective. However, the study's small sample size and narrow geographical scope limit the research's applicability and implications for practise. Furthermore, the research's theoretical strength is harmed by the lack of a philosophical framework.

References

- Egestad, L., Gyldenvang, H., & Jarden, M. (2019). My Husband Has Breast Cancer: A Qualitative Study of Experiences of Female Partners of Men with Breast Cancer.Cancer Nursing,43(5), 366-374. doi: 10.1097/ncc.0000000000000710

-EKEN, S. (2020). Medical Data Analysis for Different Data Types.International Journal Of Computational And Experimental Science And Engineering. doi: 10.22399/ijcesen.780174

-Gale - Product Login. (2021). Retrieved 25 October 2021, from https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA360608990&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=10920811&p=AONE&sw=w&userGroupName=loyoland_main-Horton, L. (2019). Making qualitative data more visible in policy: a critical appraisal of meta-synthesis.Qualitative Research,20(5), 534-548. doi: 10.1177/1468794119881953

-Islam, M. (2020). Data Analysis: Types, Process, Methods, Techniques and Tools.International Journal On Data Science And Technology,6(1), 10. doi: 10.11648/j.ijdst.20200601.12

-Jameson, J., & Walsh, M. (2017). Tools for evidence-based vascular nursing practice: Achieving information literacy for lifelong learning.Journal Of Vascular Nursing,35(4), 201-210. doi: 10.1016/j.jvn.2017.07.003

- Mackenzie, J., Tan, P., Hoverman, S., & Baldwin, C. (2012). The value and limitations of Participatory Action Research methodology.Journal Of Hydrology,474, 11-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.09.008

- Oerther, S. (2020). Analysis methods in hermeneutic phenomenological research: interpretive profiles.Frontiers Of Nursing,7(4), 293-298. doi: 10.2478/fon-2020-0038

- Structure of a Research Paper | Undergraduate Research. (2021). Retrieved 25 October 2021, from https://undergradresearch.dasa.ncsu.edu/publications/ink-ncstate-urj-submissions/structure-of-a-research-paper/- Wolgemuth, J., Erdil-Moody, Z., Opsal, T., Cross, J., Kaanta, T., Dickmann, E., & Colomer, S. (2014). Participants experiences of the qualitative interview: considering the importance of research paradigms.Qualitative Research,15(3), 351-372. doi: 10.1177/1468794114524222

HNB2007 Research and Evidence Based PracticeAssessment 2 Journal Article Critique

Word count

Disclaimer: This is one example of a student assessment of a critique of a journal article. It is meant as a guide only, so please do not cut and paste.

Review of qualitative paper:

Martnez-Morato, S., Feijoo-Cid, M., Galbany-Estragus, P., Fernndez-Cano, M.I., Arreciado Maran, A. (2021). Emotion management and stereotypes about emotions among male nurses: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 20(1), article 114. org/10.1186/s12912-021-00641-z

Screening

The article Emotion management and stereotypes about emotions among male nurses by Martnez-Morato, S., Feijoo-Cid, M., Galbany-Estragus, P., Fernndez-Cano, M.I., Arreciado Maran, A., has described briefly the problem and the importance of this study. It seeks to address the problem of how male paediatric nurses at a Spanish tertiary hospital describe their emotion management. This study is important as Nursing requires a high load of emotional labour and it is not clear how male nurses deal with emotion, in this female dominated profession. It is relevant as male nurses make up an increasing percentage of nurses, although very little is known about their experiences of work related emotion.

Is the qualitative approach suitable? Yes, the qualitative approach is suitable as it is focused on understanding peoples feelings and experiences, as in this case where emotions and emotional management are the subjects of the study.

The Research Problem and its Significance

The main objective of this research was to gain understanding on how emotion management is described by male nurses working in a paediatric department. The significance of the study focuses on how male nurses identify themselves in the care environment and how they manage their emotions when dealing with difficult situations in the hospital. The study provides insight on how male nurses deal with gender roles and stereotypes in the workplace. The researchers address how traditional nursing plays a role in how male nurses manage themselves at the workplace. It also talks about the importance of emotion management strategies and how these strategies help not just male nurses but also female nurses in carrying out nursing care.

The Research Design

The research method used in this study is a descriptive qualitative study. Descriptive qualitative study collects data generated by who, what and where? questions of the events or experiences, from the participants perspective. According to the study, the design was chosen because the researchers were able to gain insights from male nurses about their personal experiences and emotions working in the paediatric ward. This methodology is appropriate because the use of a qualitative descriptive design provides an excellent method to address important clinical issues where the focus is not on increasing theoretical or conceptual understanding, but rather contributing to change and quality improvement in the practice setting (Doyle et al., 2019). You should not be using direct quotes but if you do, you need to provide a page number

The study was based on the Spanish tertiary hospital in Barcelona. The population of the study was male nurses working in the paediatric department in a Spanish tertiary Hospital. To be included in the study the participants needed to meet certain criteria: 1) eager to be part of the study, 2) employed as paediatric nurse in the hospital, emergency or intensive care and 3)at least a 1 year experience in paediatric nursing. The exclusions from the study were nurses working in an out-patient department. These nurses are not included as they do not care for admitted paediatric patients..

There were 31 male nurses categorised as the population of the study. Factors considered when choosing their participants; age (25-60 years old), areas they have worked at and their nursing experience in paediatrics and in interacting with patients and family members. In the process of securing consent, one of the participants decided to withdraw from the study. The researchers created a table for the characteristics of the participants. There was no conflict of interest between the researchers and the participants. It was also stated in the article that the participants were all volunteer and were not compensated for taking part in the study. The researchers also stated that they were not aware of who the participants were before the study began.

Data collection; the principal investigator (PI) conducted a semi- structured interview. Semi- structured interviews use questions that are open ended, and this is appropriate in a qualitative study, and gives the PI an opportunity to explore the participants answers. The interviews (11 interviews) were mainly conducted at the university classroom prior to the participants shift or after. One participant had requested to conduct the interview in the hospital. Questions asked during the interview such as:

How do you feel when you work caring for hospitalised children and their families?

Could you tell me about your emotions, in comparison to those of your female nursing colleagues?

What do you do to manage these emotions and how would you compare it to what the female nurses do?

According to the researchers, additional questions were asked depending on how the participants answered. The duration of the interview was 50 minutes on average. The researchers collected data clearly and transparently by using audio recordings and later transcribed them. A summary of the participants' interviews were given back to them to give them the opportunity to make changes if needed. No changes were made by participants.

This study had taken ethical issues into consideration. The study followed protocols and has received approval aligned with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Clinical Research of the Hospital Universitari Vall dHebron (PR (AG)253/2015). Participation was voluntary and written consent was obtained from the participants. Confidentiality was maintained by using alphanumeric codes to each participant.

Reflexivity

There was no real evidence of reflexivity in this study and we are given very little information about the PI. The authors mention confirmability and describe constant reflection as contributing to a consideration of their positionality. This statement is about reflexivity but it is not clear what the author means.

The gender of the PI, which is an important consideration for reflexivity, is not mentioned until the limitations section. Study interviews were conducted by a female researcher, which is mentioned as a limitation, although the authors have indicated that they do not think this feature has impacted on the content of the interviews.

Data Analysis

The researchers described how data was analysed. The authors provided in-depth the process on how they were able to come up with the study results. The researchers and private investigators (PI) worked in teams to further analyse the data collected. The audio recordings were transcribed verbatim. The first team had to review and re-review the data collected, before another PI coded the first four transcripts according to the article. After discussing and reaching consensus, 12 transcripts were coded. These 12 transcripts were then shared to the other authors for further analysis and themes for the study were created. The researchers used the Dedoose software package to codify and organise the data.

The researcher had used content analysis, a method that analyses qualitative data. This method is applied in a set of texts such as; interviews or transcripts. The researchers then would review the data collected to identify if the study presents common themes, ideas and patterns or topics that would come up during the analysis of data (Caulfield, 2019). Thematic analysis is an appropriate method of analysis for seeking to understand experiences, thoughts, or behaviours across a data set (Kiger & Varpio, 2020). page number required

The researchers followed Lincoln and Guba evaluation criteria, this is to ensure trust- worthiness of the study is established. There are 4 criteria that had to be met during the study: Credibility, Transferability, Dependability and Confirmability (Nowell et al., 2017). Credibility, according to the article the participants were given the opportunity to correct the summary of their own interviews. The researchers initial data analysis and coding separately. They used the constant review to compare their results to other published scientific reports. Dependability; this means that researchers can assure the readers that the data analysing was logical, traceable and clearly documented (Nowell et al., 2017). The researchers provided detailed information on how the data was collected, analysed and interpreted. Transferability is defined as generalizability of inquiry. Researchers provided detailed descriptions of the data to allow comparison. Confirmability; this process is established when the researchers interpretation and findings are derived from the data that was collected. This study did state for the authors to consider their own positionality they had to go through constant reflection.

Finding/ Results

The study had provided a clear statement of finding. As seen in the abstract of the study the researchers have identified two themes in the interview data: 1)The Stereotypes related to emotional aspects of care and emotion management. The participants took for granted some gender stereotypes while questioning others and defended alternative ways of managing emotions related to care. 2) Emotion management strategies: Participants described keeping an emotional distance, setting boundaries, relativising problems and using distraction and humour. The themes reflected the interview and the questions provided to participants on how they feel regarding the stereotypes male nurses received working in a women's profession. It also addressed their emotion management, how they handle their emotions when caring for children and their families in the hospital. Some participants mentioned that male nurses set boundaries better than women as they know how to hide their emotions well compared to women. The study provided adequate discussion of how nursing care is conditioned by gender roles and stereotypes and that male nurses are less capable of feeling and managing emotions compared to female nurses.

The researchers were able to identify areas where future research should be explored. They encouraged other researchers to explore more on other factors that influence the gender stereotypes linked to care; as well as the link between gender stereotypes and stress on the job. They also have pointed out the need to know more about female nurses and the general population perceived male nurses, in relation to emotional aspects of care. They also wanted to explore if female nurses use masculinity and other emotion management strategies in other areas of work in the nursing field. They also emphasise that further work needs to be developed in creating a gender neutral profession based on the definition of care as the task of all humans not just for women. They also stated that taking steps in making these changes will allow female and male nurses to be recognised equally and may also increase the number of male nurses to join the workforce.

Relevance to Contemporary Nursing Policy and Practice

This research provides the readers an insight on how the male nurses feel about working in a female dominant profession and how the stereotypes affect how they work on a daily basis. This research can strengthen communication amongst the male and female nurses about how to address these stereotypes regarding what is expected from male nurses. It also encourages the promotion of gender neutrality in the nursing profession. This study also addresses the fact that male nurses have higher rates of burnout than women in the profession due to having to deal with stress at work and also managing their emotions.

The relevance of this study to contemporary nursing policy and practice is that it also provides readers with an understanding of gender roles and equality in the nursing profession. Male nurses and their masculinity is being questioned, that men are not capable of providing the same care as female nurses and that men are not able to provide same empathy compared to women, these are all examples of issues that male nurses deal with in the workplace. This study may encourage implementation of a healthier and safer workplace for male and female nurses (Pompilio, 2020), and help the profession move forward as more and more men enter the profession.

Review of qualitative paper:Zhou, S. S., Wei, L. Z., Hua, W., He, X. C., & Chen, J. (2022). A qualitative study of phenomenology of perspectives of student nurses: Experience of death in clinical practice.BMC Nursing,21(1) doi:10.1186/s12912-022-00846-w

Use the following headings:

Screening:

The purpose of the screening questions is to consider if the paper is worth reading. You need to answer questions 1 and 2 of the CASP tool here. There is no need for references in this section.

The research problem and its significance:

The task here is to describe the research problem (the reason the researcher is interested in the study) and its significance (why it is significant).

The research design;

The task here is to identify the research approach, which refers to how the study was conducted. What was done? To whom? For what reason?

Is the study qualitative or quantitative? What type of study (e.g Phenomenology; ethnography, descriptive study)? Describe the study characteristics (e.g sample size; inclusion criteria, who was excluded, why?).

You also need to discuss the appropriateness of the design for the study. For example, in qualitative studies- subjective, experience, understanding.

You need to answer questions 3-5,7 of the CASP tool here. Make sure you have included- recruitment, ethics, data collection.

Question 6- specific concept- Reflexivity

Was reflexivity considered? Why is it important? You need to answer question 6 of the CASP tool here.

Data analysis: In this section, the analysis of the study recordings/ transcripts needs to be described and evaluated, using question 8 of the CASP guide. This means providing a step by step overview of the analysis.

The findings/results of the study need to be discussed, taking into consideration the clarity of the findings, what they mean and the value of the study. You need to answer questions 9-10 of the CASP tool here. Comparison with other research evidence (journal articles) is important.

Relevance to contemporary nursing policy and practice;

Finally, you are required to discuss the relevance of the study to contemporary nursing policy and practice; is this a problem in Australia? In the local area ( Western Suburbs of Melbourne). This includes the impact the findings may have for nurses.

A minimum of 5 primary references from contemporary journals (<10 years ) must be included, using APA7 referencing.

Reference examples:

Simpson, S.A., Coulman, E., Gallagher, D., Jewell, K., Cohen, D., Newcombe, R.G., Huang, C., Robles, J.A., Busse, M., Owen-Jones, E., Duncan, D., Williams, N., Stanton, H., Avery, A., McIntosh, E., & Playle, R. (2021). Healthy eating and lifestyle in pregnancy (HELP): a cluster randomised trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a weight management intervention for pregnant women with obesity on weight at 12 months postpartum. International Journal of Obesity, 45(8): p. 1728-1739.

Martnez-Morato, S., Feijoo-Cid, M., Galbany-Estragus, P., Fernndez-Cano, M.I., & Arreciado Maran, A. (2021). Emotion management and stereotypes about emotions among male nurses: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing, 20(1) article 114. org/10.1186/s12912-021-00641-z

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