Nursing research is essential in providing quality care in a disease-burdened environment. While a researcher can employ quantitative and qualitative methods independently to attain a specific goal, each of these approaches can enhance the findings of a study in certain ways. Effective research is one, which can provide both real data and a general perception of the population under investigation. Therefore, it is essential to use both methods, also known as mixed research, to obtain all the necessary information and enhance the quality of health care.
As indicated in the post, the quantitative design is mainly used in seeking information relating to figures and data trends. These trends are essential as they can provide a researcher with statistics necessary to forecast the expected disease burden (Zullig et al., 2020). For instance, an outcome from the study of Covid-19 trends enables the nurses to prepare caregiving practices necessary once a specific number of patients are affected. On the other hand, the qualitative method provides the researcher with the ability to understand detailed facts about society (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2017). For example, a population’s attitude towards certain health protocols, and how nurses are supposed to respond to such norms. Each of the outcomes is critical in evidence-based nursing practice, which is why it is critical to use a mixed research method, as it provides most of the needed details.
In conclusion, the mixed research method provides both the statistics and the general attitudes of society. The research can use the obtained information to address the burden of disease based on the forecasted data, and at the same time, manage how to approach the affected society. Even though using the two research designs at once may be time-consuming and expensive, the benefits of such an approach outweigh its disadvantages.
Evidence-based practice involves applying proven methods in providing quality healthcare. As noted in the post, various healthcare facilities establish standards of operation to limit the chances of errors and provide the best medical attention. Most healthcare organizations use observation and other research methods to find the best ways to respond to issues in caregiving. Some of the most notable practices include using proper personal protective gear, which prevents chances of reinfection or contracting the diseases from the patients, handwashing practices, sterilization of equipment, and isolation.
While healthcare organizations have for a long time used various methods to enhance health care quality, the Covid-19 pandemic has made it stricter to adhere to these practices. For instance, using personal protective equipment (PPEs) has become mandatory for all nurses attending to patients (Xu et al., 2020). In my health facility, handwashing points are strategically placed to ensure hand-cleanliness at all times. Moreover, the floors and rooms are kept clean always to ensure minimal chances of spreading the disease. Covid-19 has made most of our ICUs full of critically ill patients, which further forces caregivers to properly use their masks and other equipment to protect themselves, other patients, and the entire community. Furthermore, another aspect of evidence-based practice is social distancing, which had not been in use in the past (Rice & Janz, 2020). In my organization, the management enforces this practice and expects people to be close when attending to a patient, but at the same time, the employees must have their facemasks and gloves worn properly.
Thus, in healthcare facilities, all stakeholders should pay attention to the recommended behavior to protect themselves, the patients, and society as a whole. Nurses use proven practices to help reduce the burden of disease, curb the further spread, and protect themselves and others from reinfection. The Covid-19 disease has made it mandatory for most of these practices to be implemented in healthcare centers to help prevent the further spread of infections.
References
LoBiondo-Wood, G., & Haber, J. (2017). Nursing research-e-book: methods and critical appraisal for evidence-based practice (9th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
Rice, T. W., & Janz, D. R. (2020). In defence of evidence-based medicine for the treatment of COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome. Annals of the American Thoracic Society, 17(7), 787-789. Web.
Xu, G., Yang, Y., Du, Y., Peng, F., Hu, P., Wang, R., Yin, M., Li, T., Tu, L., Sun, J., Chang, C., & Jiang, T. (2020). Clinical pathway for early diagnosis of COVID-19: Updates from experience to evidence-based practice. Clinical Reviews in Allergy & Immunology, 59(1), 89-100. Web.
Zullig, L., Deschodt, M., & De Geest, S. (2020). Embracing implementation science: A paradigm shift for nursing research. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(1), 3-5. Web.