NURS 8200 Discussion: Sampling Essay Assignment

The temptation to form premature theories upon insufficient data is the bane of our profession.

—Sherlock Holmes (from The Valley of Fear, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Sherlock Holmes, the great fictional logician, may have made this reprimand in reference to the science of criminal investigation, but the underlying principle holds true for all branches of research. Now that you have identified a research problem and developed hypotheses, the next step is to identify your sample and begin gathering data that will answer your research questions. The process of sampling to gather data is a crucial step in the research process in that you must be sure that the instruments and sample population mesh well with the study’s goals and objectives so that they will produce valid and reliable results.

For this Discussion, you identify a target population and sample appropriate for addressing the research problem you formulated in the Week 2 Discussion.

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To prepare for NURS 8200 Discussion: Sampling Essay Assignment:

Review this week’s media presentation and consider Dr. Pothoff’s comments on sampling.
Recall the research problem, question, and hypothesis you developed in Week 2’s Discussion. With this in mind, ask yourself: What population is most relevant, and accessible, for exploring my research problem?
Consider how you could reach this target population to gather data. What are some challenges you might encounter?
Determine a data collection approach for your target population. Develop an informed rationale for selecting that approach.

By Day 3 of NURS 8200 Discussion: Sampling Essay Assignment

Post a cohesive response that addresses the following questions:

What are the researchable populations in your area of practice? Which would be most appropriate for use in your research study?
What are the challenges of obtaining a sample from this population? How could you address those challenges?
What approach would you use to collect data from the sample? Provide a rationale for the approach you choose based on this week’s Learning Resources.

Read a selection of your colleague’s postings.

By Day 6 of NURS 8200 Discussion: Sampling Essay Assignment

Respond to two of your colleagues in one of the following ways:

Provide additional strategies for addressing challenges to obtaining a sample from the identified population
Suggest a different population that may be appropriate for addressing the research problem
Summarize the strengths of the data collection method identified in the post
Share any problems or concerns over the identified data collection method
Suggest an alternative data collection method and provide your rationale

Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you learned and/or any insights you gained as a result of the comments made by your colleagues.

Be sure to support your work with specific citations from this week’s Learning Resources and any additional sources.

Click on the Reply button below to reveal the textbox for entering your message. Then click on the Submit button to post your message.

NURS 8200 Week 3 Discussion: Sampling SAMPLE RESPONSE

Staff training related to patient teaching requirements is a topic relevant to any nursing discipline. Thank you, Mitzy, for your insight this week. You mentioned about starting with a needs assessment which prompted me to investigate the subject further. Much of the literature on conducting needs assessments has theoretical support initiated by researchers from education and human resources then applied to nursing which is very beneficial. I located a text in the Walden library titled “Needs Assessment: Trends and a View Toward the Future” (Altschuld & Watkins, 2014) which I found relevant to your discussion. The needs assessment identifies gaps in what the researcher hopes to accomplish and what is currently the practice and should be conducted at the beginning of a new project (Altschuld & Watkins, 2014). You might find the information in this text helpful in moving forward with your project.

Another resource I located is a continuing education offering from 2016 titled “Learning Needs Assessment” (Pilcher, 2016). This article also mentions different categories of learning needs assessments including gap analysis, organizational needs analysis, review of learners self-identified needs and future needs requirements. The information regarding the steps required in conducting a learning needs assessment is relevant for the class in all of our projects moving forward. Thank you, again, for your discussion this week. NURS 8200 Discussion: Sampling Essay Assignment.

References

Altschuld, J. W., & Watkins, R. (2014). Needs assessment: trends and a view toward the future. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, [2014].

Pilcher, J. (2016). Learning Needs Assessment. Journal for Nurses in Professional Development, 32(4), 185-191. doi:10.1097/NND.0000000000000245

NURS 8200 Week 3 Discussion: Sampling Rubric Detail

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Name: NURS_8200_ Week3_Discussion_Rubric