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SUBJECT NURSING EDUCATION

PILOT STUDY

SUBMITTED TO SUBMITTED BY
MRS.AMITA SHILPA MS. SHALINI JOSHI
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR M.SC. NURSING 1
ST
YEAR
S.C.O.N. DEHRADUN S.C.O.N. DEHRADUN
SUBMITTED ON
11/O4/2014
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PILOT STUDY
Introduction:-
Pilot study is also called building block to larger study. Pilot study is the study carried out at
the end of the planning phase of research, in order to explore and test the research elements.
The pilot study is a small preliminary investigation of the same general character as the major
study, which is designed to acquaint the researcher with problems that can be corrected in
preparation for the large research project or is done to provide the research with an opportunity
to try out the procedure for collecting data.
Definition:-
A pilot study is a small scale trial run of the actual research project. I t is the rehearsal of the
main study. It covers the entire process of the research:-
Preparation of a broad plan of the study.
Construction of tool
Collecting of data
Processing and analysis of data
Report writing
Objectives:-
The primary objective of the pilot study is to test as many elements of the research proposal as
possible, in order to correct any part that does not work well.
Purpose of pilot study:-
A pilot study fulfils one or more of the following purposes:-
To prevent an expensive study
To prevent misfortune of undertaking a costly large scale study
It provides guidance on conceptualization- identification and operationalization of
concepts related to study.
It assists in discovering the nature of relationship between variable and in formulating
hypothesis.
It assists in developing better approaches to target population as regards introduction,
rapport etc.
Reasons:-
A pilot study is conducted to pretest a newly designed instruction.
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Selection of people for pilot study:-
The people are selected for the pilot study who are similar in characteristics to the sample that
will used for the actual study.
Factors help in determining the size of pilot study:-
A fairly common number is about 10 subjects.
Time, cost and availability of person should be similar to the study subjects help in
determining the size of the pilot group.
Functions of pilot study:-
Pilot study can serve a number of important functions in planning the rigorous parent study
including evaluation of following:-
Adequacy of the study method.
Appropriateness and quality of instruments.
Strength of relationship between key variable.
Identification of the confounding variable that need to be controlled.
Adequacy of training material for research staff.
Potential problem such as loss of participant during the course of the study.
Advantages:-
It tells about the completeness, accuracy and convenience of the sampling frame from
which it is proposed to select the sample.
It unfold the variability within the population to the surveyed/studies.
Importance in determining the size of the sample.
It helps in bringing out the inadequacy of the draft questionnaire. It throws light on the
several difficulties.
It tests interviewer stamina to work under condition of personal discomfort, stress and
fatigue.
It helps in identifying the need for different kinds of equipment and vehicles, which are
necessary during project.
Disadvantages of pilot study:-
Pilot study research design is structured study; the structured study introduces biases into
the result of the study to prove exactly what the researchers wanted to show.
The sample of the study is not randomly selected.
The treatment of subjects does not reflect, and is usually modified to favor the result that
the researcher required.
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Limitation of the pilot study:-
A pilot study is not a hypothesis testing study.
Safety, efficacy and effectiveness are not evaluated in a pilot study.
Contrary to tradition, a pilot study does not provide a meaningful effect size estimation
for planning subsequent studies due to imprecision inherent in data from small samples.
Feasibility result does not necessarily generalized beyond the inclusion and exclusion
criteria of pilot design.
Summary:-
The pilot study is a small scale dress rehearsal that proceeds as if it were the actual study except
for the fact, that subjects who will participate in the actual study are not used. However they may
be selected at this point. This pilot study topic includes definition, objectives, purpose, function,
advantages, disadvantages and limitation of pilot study.
Bibliography:-
Basavanthappa B.T. Nursing Research IInd edition 2009, jaypee publishers, page no,-
437-439.
Polit F-Denishe, Cheryl Tatano Beck Essential of Nursing Research 7
th
edition,2010,
Wolters kluwer health/Lippincott William and Wilkins, Page no. 55, 286
Marry Rosien, Nursing Research 3
rd
edition 2010.jaypee publishers. Page no. 45
Sharma Suresh , Nursing Research and statistics 1
st
edition, Elsevier publishers.
I nternet:-
www.wikepedia.com
www.ncbi.com
www.slideshare.com