Tool for Critiquing Quantitative Research

This document provides a template for critiquing quantitative research in nursing/midwifery practice. It covers the study purpose, relevance to practice, ethics, study design, sample size, methods/intervention/data collection/validity, research findings, study limitations, applicability to clinical practice, and personal reflection. The document includes references to relevant books and journals.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---
Student Name:
Student ID:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Assessment 2 template
Word count of the template = approx. 700 words (not included in overall word count)
Tool for critiquing QUANTITATIVE research (1500 word-equivalent)
Tool for critiquing qualitative research is modified based on the Critical Review Form-
Qualitative Studies ©Law, M., Stewart, D., Pollock, N., Letts, L. Bosch, J., & Westmorland, M.
Instructions:
 Complete all of the questions in the template below in reference to the article that you have
selected. Ensure that you have selected the correct template (quantitative or qualitative) to
match the research method in the article that you have selected.
 Where there is a Yes/No option in the question, delete the option that does not apply.
Question 1: Study purpose/question
(a) Did the study have a clearly stated purpose/research question?
Yes the study have a clearly stated purpose/research question.
(b) Explain your response below:
The key purpose of the study is to provide seasonal influenza vaccine recommendation and funded for
groups who in turn are at a higher risk of serious infection. The researcher of the study has carried out
a randomized controlled trial of SMS (short message service) reminders for influenza vaccination
(Randomized Controlled Trial of Text Message Reminders for Increasing Influenza Vaccination,
2017).
Question 2: Relevance to nursing/midwifery practice
(a) Explain how this question was relevant to nursing/midwifery practice.

This question is considered to be highly relevant within the nursing/midwifery practice because
it is considered to be one of the broad topic which helps nursing/midwifery practice in gaining
wider set of perspective associated with the increasing influenza vaccination (Gravenstein, and
et.al., 2017). This study is also highly significant because it is useful in creating strong set of evidence
associated with the benefit of immunisation for public health and children. It helps in up taking of
the influenza immunization and the key significant role of the attitude of the parents in providing
influenza vaccination to the children.
Question 3: Ethics
(a) What were the possible risks of participating in the study?
The key risk which are possible while carrying out the study is to expose the participants and
it results in harm. Lack of fund is also one of the key significant risk which eventually leads
to key significant risk associated with the participating in the study. Delay in the submission
of the project because of time constraints is another risk associated with project.
(b) Were these risks clearly identified by the authors?
Yes these risks clearly identified by the authors.
(c) If risks were identified by the authors, how did they propose to minimise risk?
The researcher of the took necessary measures to minimize the risk of delay in the submission of
the project by preparing timeline and Gantt chart in order to evaluate how much time will the
researcher take to carry out all the activities on a timely manner. Risk associated with the lack of
fund can be effectively minimized by preparing a systematic budget plan and evaluating how
much fund will be required to carry out each task. Complying with the institutional review board
is considered to be highly significant in order to protect the welfare and the rights of the human
which helps in minimizing the possible risk of harm to the participants.
(d) Did the authors state that they had approval from an ethics committee to undertake the study?
Yes, the authors state that they had approval from an ethics committee to undertake the
study.

(e) How did the authors obtain informed consent from participants?
The researcher of the study has obtained informed consent from the participants by
effectively giving adequate set of information associated with the study. It is highly
significant in providing adequate set of opportunity by taking voluntary agreement from the
participants. All the relevant risk and complete understanding related with the subject matter
has been transparently communicated to the participants.
(f) Did you identify any potential risks associated with the study that were not identified by the
authors and if so, what were they?
Risk associated with the usage of influenza drugs and lack of availability of the resources is considered to
be as the key significant risk related with the study. In order to minimize the risk, it is highly important to
effectively take necessary precautions at the time of influenza drugs. Ensuring that all the resources are
optimally utilized in order to reduce the risk of lack of resources.
Question 4: Study design
(a) Describe the chosen study design for this study.
Randomized control trial is considered to be one of the most significant scientific method for
carrying out the medical experiment which in turn tends to largely aim at reducing the key
sources of biases when effectively testing the relevance of new treatments (Daugherty and et.al.,
2015).
(b) Was this a suitable study design for the given research question?
Yes, this is considered to be as a suitable study design for the given research questions.
(c) Explain why the chosen study design was or wasn’t suitable.
Randomized control trial design is considered to be highly significant because it helps in
reducing the high degree of biases and effectively balancing the key known facts (Howlin, and
et.al., 2015). This is one of the key significant study design because it randomly assigns key
participants within the experimental or control group in order to analyse the outcome variable.
Question 5: Sample (Participants)
(a) How many participants were included in the study?

Six weeks after the seasonal influenza vaccinations has begun, high risk patients who tends to have a
mobile telephone number on a record at 10 practices within Western Australia. Among which, 32 % of
the selected patients had been vaccinated within the current year and were considered to be ineligible.
Remaining 12,354 eligible patients at each practice one-half were assigned randomly in order to obtain
a vaccination reminder by short message service (intervention) and the rest obtained by no short
message service (control).
(b) What were the inclusion and exclusion criteria?
Patients at participating practices are eligible for inclusion within the study. The high risk
group tends to comprise of people who are aged 65 years and more. Children who has
been aged between 6 months and 4 years. The research study criteria also tends to include
children who tends to age between 6 months to 4 years. The study also tends to include
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals who are aged 15 years and above. It also
includes pregnant women and also people who are aged 6 months and more with
underlying set of medical conditions which mainly includes heart disease, immune
impairment, asthma, lung disease that complicates because of influenza. The study also
excluded 65 patients who are considered to be ineligible to carry out the study. The
supplementary analysis also tends to exclude 121 patients within the intervention group.
(c) Explain how the participants were recruited.
Practicing the management software and also performing management tools is useful in
improving the selection process of the recruiters.
(d) Describe the setting in which the study took place (hospital, community, etc.).
The study has been taken place within the hospital which is considered to be highly significant in
improving the outcomes of the result. It is very useful in effectively improving the various functions which
eventually leads to higher sustainable growth.
Question 6: Methods/Intervention/Data collection/validity
(a) Describe the intervention (e.g. treatment, therapy etc.)
Comprehensive RCT of short message service reminders for influenza vaccination is
considered to be highly significant because it helps in vaccinating against in order to promote
immunization. Use of proper antiviral medications is considered to be highly significant in
treating influenza.

(b) What was the comparator (e.g. alternative treatment or therapy; placebo etc.)
Over the counter medication is considered to be highly significant because it is very
useful in improving the influenza among the individuals.
(c) Was this intervention adequately described so that it could be replicated in practice?
Yes this intervention adequately described in order to gain wider set of perspective in order
to attain higher elements associated with the study.
(d) Explain your response to (c)
This intervention is useful in effectively treating large number of people which leads to
helps in treating people with influenza.
(e) Describe the method/s used to collect data (you do not need to include basic
demographic/sociographic data)
Quantitative method has been used in order to collect the data effectively. Log-binomial
regression models has been used to calculate the relative risk of vaccination between the
intervention group and control group.
(f) Describe the randomisation process used in the study
Randomized control trial is considered to be one of the most significant scientific method for
carrying out the medical experiment. It is very significant in examining the effectiveness of the
new treatments.
(g) Were any groups blinded in the study? If so describe
Yes, General practice staff were blinded to the patient’s group assignment.
(h) Explain how the points in (f) and (g) reduce bias and contribute to the validity of the study
Randomized control trial is considered to be an effective process which tends to largely contribute towards
the attainment of the validity of the study. The General practice staff were blinded and it contributes to
the validity of the study as it helps in gaining better set of results and outcomes.
Question 7: Research findings (outcomes)
(a) What were the main findings of this study? (provide a dot point summary)
 12% of the intervention group and 9% of control group has been vaccinated.
 39% relative increase attributable to the short message service.
 The greatest effect was observed within children who are younger than 5 years.

Question 8: Study limitations
(a) What were the limitations of this study stated by the author/s?
The key limitation of the study which has been mentioned by the author are to protect the
participants and does not cause any sort of physical harm while carrying out the study. The time
constraints is also another key major limitation which in turn eventually leads to the key
constraints to the study.
(b) Explain why these are study limitations.
Timed constraint is a limitation because it eventually leads to delay in the completion of the
project. This may lead to delay in the attainment of the results and decision making which can
likely hamper the output of the results.
(c) Explain why bias may reduce the validity of the study.
Biases also helps in effectively reducing the validity of the study. This way it is useful in
carrying out the study in an ethical and reliable manner (Demicheli and et.al., 2018). Biases
within the study tends to create false conclusion and is considered to be potentially misleading. It
is considered to be highly unethical to carry out biased set of research. It is useful in reducing the
deviation from truth and gain valid set of data.
Question 9: Applicability to clinical practice
(a) According to the Levels of Evidence pyramid, what level of evidence are the reported results
from this paper?
As per the Levels of Evidence pyramid, the systematic review has been carried which helps
in gaining systematic aspect associated with the key variables of the research subject.
(b) Overall, should the outcomes of this study be used to inform evidence-based practice?
Yes, the outcomes of this study be used to inform evidence-based practice.
(c) Explain your rationale for your responses to questions (a) and (b).
The research of the study has been carried out for the personal and academic interest (Randomized
Controlled Trial of Text Message Reminders for Increasing Influenza Vaccination, 2017). This study is
considered to be highly significant because it helps in better attainment of the goals and research

subject. The key reason for carrying out this research is because it is considered to be as the wide
aspect and helps in the better attainment of the key elements related with the study.
Part 2 Reflection (approx. 1000 words)
In your reflection, you should consider the following:
 Did you have any previous ‘knowledge’ about immunisation safety for children/pregnant
women prior to undertaking this assessment? Describe your understanding of this.
 How did you acquire this knowledge (what way/s of knowing/where did the information
come from)?
 Did you have any opinions (bias) or concerns about the safety of immunisation for
children/pregnant women prior to undertaking this assessment?
 Has anything that you have learnt in the course changed your opinion (bias)/allayed your
concerns/increased you concerns about the safety of immunisation for children/pregnant
women? If so, why?
 How has learning more about interpreting research and implementing evidence- based
practice influenced your opinions about immunisation for pregnant women/children?
 In this course you have learnt about how personal beliefs, experiences and trust
contribute to personal health choices and decisions. As a registered nurse and/or midwife,
how will you balance a person’s health beliefs with evidence-based practice when
assisting them with choices about health care?

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Demicheli, V., and et.al., 2018. Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults. Cochrane
database of systematic reviews, (2).
Daugherty and et.al., 2015. Influenza vaccination rates and beliefs about vaccination among
nursing home employees. American journal of infection control, 43(2), pp.100-106.
Gravenstein, S ., and et.al., 2017. Comparative effectiveness of high-dose versus standard-dose
influenza vaccination on numbers of US nursing home residents admitted to hospital: a cluster-
randomised trial. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, 5(9), pp.738-746.
Howlin, C ., and et.al., 2015. A randomized controlled trial comparing customized versus
standard headrests for head and neck radiotherapy immobilization in terms of set-up errors,
patient comfort and staff satisfaction (ICORG 08-09). Radiography, 21(1), pp.74-83.
Online
Randomized Controlled Trial of Text Message Reminders for Increasing Influenza Vaccination.
2017. [ONLINE]. Available through<https://www.annfammed.org/content/15/6/507.full>