Similarities Between Qualitative And Quantitative Research

The profession of nursing has drastically changed and evolved over the past few decades and with these changes nurses are expected to adopt evidence-based practice (EBP). EBP is defined as "the use of the newest evidence in making patient care decisions and such evidence typically comes from research conducted by nurses and other health care professionals" (Polit & Beck, 2014, p.2). Additionally, research has shown "patients who receive care based on evidence from well-designed studies experience nearly 30 percent better outcomes" (Bennett, 2009). Furthermore, implementing evidence-based research into practice leads to improved patient outcomes and cost-savings across the continuum of care. Finally, there are two general types of research …show more content…
Qualitative research is when information is investigated and gathered through observing, listening and through real-life experiences and is more subjective. The data is usually more in-depth and involves fewer cases or the research is on a smaller scale. In contrast, during quantitative research, investigators progress through a series of steps and have the ability to control the research situation in order to minimize bias (Polit & Beck, 2014). These are often investigations in which numbers are used to measure variables and create statistics. Qualitative research methods typically involve focus groups, in-depth interviews, and reviews of documents whereas quantitative research methods usually involve control groups, randomized-controlled trials, structured questionnaires and cohort studies. Now that we understand the two types of research methods, we can discuss nurses and their roles in …show more content…
Is there something we can look into and develop evidence-based data and recommendations regarding? Can we empower others to identify concerns and develop evidence-based policies and procedures? All of us have the knowledge to be able to identify patient care concerns whether it 's with care delivery, medication administration, communication or documentation. Furthermore, we have the opportunity to get involved in researching and effecting change within our organizations. Just remember evidence-based practice leads to higher quality of healthcare, improved population health and patient outcomes, including the patient care experience and reduced costs (Melnyk, 2016, p. 6). Therefore, it is imperative we stay abreast of the newest evidence based nursing research and continue to implement this research into our