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Kraemer Family Library

How to recognize NURS study methodology

This guide covers how to recognize different kinds of nursing research articles, like primary sources and experimental studies, as well as how to figure out components of the study design like independent and dependent variables.

Prospective v. Retrospective

The difference between a prospective and a retrospective study is whether the study identifies participants before the outcome has occurred or after. Prospective and retrospective studies typically are observational studies, with very few exceptions. 

Prospective Studies - What to look for

A prospective study identifies its sample population, often by some shared trait or characteristic, then follows them to see if in the future the outcome researchers are interested in develops. 

A chart follows the prospective reseach process from identifying a population with shared characterstics through the passage of time to outcomes that you measure and analyze.

Research process in a prospective study:

  1. Identify your sample group by a shared characteristics or variables. 
  2. Watch and wait for the outcome you're interested in
  3. Using observations or data, determine who in your sample group experienced the outcomes you were interested in
  4. Analyze how outcomes related to the variables present in the sample group
  5. Draw conclusions about whether the variables present in your sample group influenced the outcomes

Example:

We used the records from Example Hospital to find patients recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who either did or did not receive a referral to a nutritionist. We followed those patients' records for 2 years, looking at their A1C and blood sugar numbers. We found that being referred to a nutritionist had a significant impact, as patients referred typically had lower A1C and blood sugar numbers than those who were not referred.

Retrospective Studies - What to look for

A retrospective study identifies it's sample population by the presence of the outcome the researchers are interested in, then they look back to see what commonalities this group shares. 

A chart follows the retrospective research process from identifying a population with shared outcomes back through time to measure and analyze what common characteristics that population shared.

Research process in a retrospective study:

  1. Identify your sample group by a shared outcome
  2. Look back at their records to see what characteristics or variables they experienced in the past
  3. Analyze what commonalities exist in the characteristics or variables across your sample group
  4. Draw conclusions about what variables and characteristics may have contributed to the outcome

Example:

We used the records from Example Hospital to identify patients who experienced a catheter associated urinary tract infection in our med surg unit. We looked at the records of their vitals at time of admission and what care they received while here to identify if there were any common factors that could be a cause. We found that catheter associated urinary tract infections were associated with having a catheter in for longer than 48 hrs, patient age >68 yrs, and diabetes.