Qualitative and Quantitative Research Comparison Nursing research is important to determine the evidence-based practices that we use daily

in our patient centered care. In order to gather this evidence, 2 scientific designs are used to conduct research depending on the question that is being asked. These are qualitative and quantitative. The following is a comparison of these 2 designs using 2 separate studies. The first is based on a qualitative study found in Urologic Nursing based on policies regarding CAUTI or catheter associated urinary tract infections (Palmer, Lee, Dutta-Linn, Wroe, & Hartmann, 2013). The second is based on a quantitative study found in the same magazine based on strategies to decrease the time of indwelling catheters (Bernard, Hunter, & Moore, 2012). The Palmer et al. (2013) study uses information from a larger parent study that these same researchers conducted based on the 2008 decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to change their policy in order to not reimburse organizations for hospital-acquired conditions (Hartmann, Hoff, Palmer, Wroe, Dutta-Linn, & Lee, 2011). The reason for the Palmer et.al study was to show the collaboration of the new policy based entirely on CAUTI care. They used information from the purposeful sample of the parent study where 135 lead infection preventionists, who do not provide hands on care, were invited and interviewed from the AHA or American Hospital Association 2007 National Database (p.17). Of the infection preventers who volunteered from privately funded acute care hospitals in the United States, 36 from the previous study were used in this study because they answered one or more of the previously determined theme questions found in table 2 on page 17. The interviewees were 39-64 years old and had been in infection prevention for 1-39 years (p.17). After determining that a theme question was answered, the researches loaded each interview into the NVivo 8.0 qualitative data management software which used repetition to code each interview (p.17). The

researchers saw 2 themes emerge from their grounded theory approach involving the interviewees attitudes and behaviors towards the changes in the CMS CAUTI policy. The studies determined that attitudes and behaviors are changing as well as hospital policies due to CMSs changes in reimbursement. Some facilities are putting more emphasis upon CAUTI and it may be due to the incentive of reimbursement. It also determined that further monitoring and research in this area should be continued and added to these findings (Palmer et al.p.22). The second article, by Bernard, Hunter, and Moore (2012), is based on a quantitative descriptive research design. This study used a search of quantitative studies from years 2000 to 2010 of the following databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Database, Google, and Google Scholar: Grey literature (p. 31). The goal was to find evidence-based practice on therapeutic dwell times of indwelling urinary catheters. Of 53 abstracts considered, only 9 abstracts fit the studies criteria of using information from acute care patients whose catheters were removed when no longer needed with information provided about duration of use and whether a CAUTI had developed or not (p.31). The sample demographics from the 9 cohort research studies that were reviewed varied from 4 different countries and multiple settings (p. 34). Many different methodologies were used in the 9 studies which include all four types of quantitative designs such as descriptive, correlation, quasi experimental and one experimental randomized trial. Analyses included scientific and quasi-scientific design from retrospective, prospective, nonrandomized, time- sequenced design, and interventional greatly reducing the quality of the studies. However, scientific significance of the 9 studies consisted of a p value of less than 0.05 making it reliable for evidence-based practice (pp. 33, 35-36). From the studies, researchers were able to develop 2 important pieces of evidence. The first is that nurses must lead the way with assessing the need of catheters to ensure shorter dwell times and intervene when necessary to

prevent CAUTI, and patient would benefit by educated nurses with this information. The second piece of evidence includes the importance of some type of system is needed to ensure informatics provided as reminders, either electronic or placed on the chart, are implemented in facilities that use indwelling urinary catheters to prevent CAUTI (Bernard, Hunter, & Moore, 2012, pp. 31-32, 36). As one can see, research is essential to provide quality, patient centered care. It helps determine not only what we should do, but what we should not do. Both types of research greatly add to our knowledge and are essential to cover all aspects of holistic care. Each type in this paper brings its own set of information one subjective and the other objective, respectfully. However, both can be implemented to ensure that the latest and best known care is being delivered to each person individually and as a group. References Bernard, M., Hunter, K., & Moore, K. (2012). A review of strategies to decrease the duration of indwelling urethral catheters and potentially reduce the incidence of catheter- associated urinary tract infections. Urologic Nursing, 32(1), 29-37. Hartmann, C., Hoff, T., Palmer, J., Wroe, P., Dutta-Linn, M., & Lee, G. (2011). The Medicare policy of payment adjustment for health careassociated infections: Perspectives on potential unintended consequences. Medical Care Research and Review, 69(1), 45-61. doi:1 0 775 5 871 1 41 36 06 Palmer, J., Lee, G., Dutta-Linn, M., Wroe, P., & Hartmann, C. (2013). Including catheterassociated urinary tract infections in the 2008 CMS payment policy: A qualitative analysis. Urologic Nursing, 33(1), 15-23. doi:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.king.edu /10.7257/1053-816X.2013.33.1.15