Instruments in Nursing Research
The field of nursing research is always in need of reliable and valid measurement tools. They are crucial for the accurate assessment of physiological and psychosocial concepts. For my area of interest, two instruments are worth using, including the Hospital Consumer Survey of Providers and Healthcare Systems (HCAHPS) for the psychosocial measure and the use of bacterial cultures or swab tests for the physiological measure.
The HCAHPS survey is a widely recognized and frequently used tool in the healthcare industry for measuring patient satisfaction. According to CMS.gov (2023), it is also used as a data collection methodology to measure people’s perceptions of medical care experiences. Bacterial cultures or swab tests are practical tools for measuring the effectiveness of hand hygiene, particularly in preventing the spread of infections. These tests involve collecting samples from various surfaces, such as the hands of healthcare workers or the environment of patients, both before and after hand hygiene procedures are performed. By quantifying the microbial load, doctors can assess the impact of hand washing on infection control.
Examples of Use
Both methods are powerful and valuable in the field of health care. Bacterial cultures or smear tests serve as valuable physiological tools in medical research. Collected samples from various surfaces are processed and inoculated on culture media that promote the growth of microorganisms. Subsequently, they are identified, and an assessment of the microbial load is provided.
Boyce et al. (2017) conducted a study that confirmed the validity of this physiological measurement method by comparing the load in different periods. Results showed a strong correlation between patients’ confidence in hand hygiene practices and their overall satisfaction with the care they received. They refer to the same measurement level: nominal.
By incorporating the assessment of anxiety into the evaluation of an individual’s care, these tools together offer a complete approach to understanding the patient experience. According to Gray and Groove (2020), they require comprehensive and exclusive information. This makes them accurate and consistent in the healthcare field.
References
Boyce, J. M., Guercia, K.A., Sullivan, L., Havill, N. L., Fekieta, R., Kozakiewicz, J., Goffman, D. (2017). Prospective cluster controlled crossover trial to compare the impact of an improved hydrogen peroxide disinfectant and a quaternary ammonium-based disinfectant on surface contamination and health care outcomes. American Journal of Infection Control, 45(9), 1006-1010.
CMS.gov. (2023). HCAHPS: Patients’ Perspectives of Care Survey.
Gray, J., & Groove, S. (2020). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (9th ed.). Elsevier.