During which phase of the nursing research process are electronic databases such as CINAHL and MEDLINE primarily used?

Appeared in: HPSSC - 2015

Explanation

The initial phase of any research project involves a thorough literature review to understand the existing body of knowledge.
Electronic databases like CINAHL and MEDLINE are specialized repositories designed for searching and retrieving scholarly articles in nursing and medicine.
This step is crucial for identifying a research problem, justifying the need for a new study, and developing a research question.
Using these databases helps researchers avoid duplicating work and build upon previous findings.

Option A: Data collection is the phase where new, primary data is gathered for the current study (e.g., through surveys, experiments). It does not involve reviewing existing literature.
Option B: Data analysis involves using statistical or qualitative methods to interpret the data that was collected for the study. It does not involve searching for external literature.
Option D: Dissemination is the final step where the researcher shares their findings, for example, by publishing an article. The published article might then be indexed in CINAHL or MEDLINE for others to find, but this is not the phase where one searches the database.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Phases of the Nursing Research Process helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Understanding the research process is fundamental to Evidence-Based Practice (EBP), which requires nurses to use the best available evidence to make clinical decisions.
Nurses at all levels use skills in literature searching to stay updated on the latest clinical guidelines, treatments, and patient care strategies.
What if a nurse skips the literature review before starting a quality improvement project? They might waste time and resources on a problem that has already been solved or implement an intervention that is known to be ineffective, potentially compromising patient care.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'nursing research process', 'CINAHL', and 'MEDLINE'.
Recognize that CINAHL and MEDLINE are tools for finding published research (literature).
Next, consider the logical flow of a research project. A researcher must first find out what is already known before starting a new study.
Evaluate each option based on this logical flow. The 'literature review' is the formal term for finding and reading existing research.
Match the tool (databases) with its purpose (literature review) and place it correctly within the research phases provided in the options. This leads to 'Problem identification and literature review' as the only logical answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QEK3cHfzutn1a2FK0Ca9u2

E6 NursingResearch Sukhpal Kaur p. 131-133

E6 NursingResearch Polit 11e Part 1 p. 104-106

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 1 p. 75-77

Practise the full HPSSC - 2015

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.