Research Skills in Health and Social Care

This article discusses the importance of maintaining a research diary and the methodology used in a research project on the role played by social and health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes a literature review, results, and evaluation of the research project.

Research Skills in Health and
Social Care

Table of Contents
Maintenance of a 'Research Diary'..................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................6
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................6
METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................................................7
RESULTS........................................................................................................................................8
EVALUATION...............................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

Maintenance of a 'Research Diary'
A research diary is written so that the activities and the thoughts during the research of
the researcher can be recorded. The research diary includes the process of the designing from
which the data collection and analysis so that it can be written and recorded and presented for the
studies (Mosurska, 2021). The research diary includes the experience of the writer that what he
has experienced at the time when he was performing the activities. I have started making the aim
of the research in April and it took me 15 days to come to the conclusion that this is the final aim
of the research and the study. I have created the aim and after that I started to create the
objectives of the research on April 20th and it took me 10 days to complete the objectives of the
research that these will be the objectives that will be achieved with the help of the research. I
have experienced that the challenges that has been faced by the health and social workers during
the global pandemic situation should be determined so that the various strategies can be created
to overcome the challenges in any future situations. The experience brought the idea that the
determination of the challenges can be the objective that the research will be created to achieve.
After creating the objectives I have started to create the research questions and I have
started the process of creating the research questions in the March. I have come to the various
decisions that what should be the questions that what should be the questions that should be
included as a research question. I thought that there should be the questions that helps in
understanding the aspects of the challenges that has been faced during the pandemic. In the end I
have come to the decision that the various questions such as what were the challenges that the
health and social workers have faced is one of the most important question that should be
involved in the research questions. The maintenance of the research diary will be able to provide
the understanding of the thoughts and activities that I have gone through for creating the research
proposal (Reed and et.al., 2021). It will be able to provide the detailed history of my research
that will be easy to understand the various information and the analysis that I have done. The
research diary will be able to provide the reference point of when my thoughts have changed or
what were my thoughts during the process of creating the research proposal. It will be providing
the brief information about the development of research skills and knowledge as it will be able to
make the reader understand the change and the development of the research skills. This will be
beneficial in providing the tools that can be helpful in reflecting to the research that has been

performed (Juvinyà-Canal and et.al., 2020). The research diary will be able to minimize the
delay that can occur during the understanding the information about research proposal.

INTRODUCTION
Background – The research addresses the aspects of how the research topic which is role played
by social and health workers for assisting community during global pandemic COVID-19 played
significance within the research which has been conducted. This research has been taken to
address that how the covid has impacted the individuals at large scale and this helps in knowing
the major aspects as to how the key concern is that the health and social care workers are
concerned with the impacts as to how the communities are provided help by the social workers at
large scale (Aljumah, 2020).
Rationale - The importance of this research is concerned with the importance and role played
by social and health workers for assisting community during global pandemic COVID-19 is
being analysed and is concerned at large scale.
LITERATURE REVIEW
According to Ballard, Bancroft and et.al., (2020), qualitative research methods are used
within the health and social care sector at large scale. The qualitative research helps in knowing
that there is detail information and knowledge gained within the research. With the help of
qualitative research method, it helps in allowing the creativity to be the driving force within the
research. Different experiences of individual interactions are being addressed which helps in
knowing that how effectively the interactions are being involved within the research at large
scale. This research method helps in saving the money and keeps the perspectives of analysing
the data at large scale. There is deeper understanding of the aspects which are being addressed by
following the qualitative research which has been conducted.
As per Wells, Dwyer and et.al., (2021), there are certain trends which helps in addressing
the aspects as to examine the role played by social and health workers for assisting community
during global pandemic COVID-19. This helps in knowing that the health and social care
workers are playing their roles and responsibilities at large scale within the health and social care
setting. The primary focus of the social workers helps in addressing the aspects as to how the
care is to be provided to be community of whole individuals while assisting them to analyse and
diversify the changes which are to be addressed at large scale during the global pandemic.
As denoted by Morse and Dell, (2021), there are some major gaps which are presented in
this research topic as to how the research has been conducted. There is lack of evidence of the

quantitative measures and the quantitative data for the analysis of how the social and health
workers for assisting community during global pandemic COVID-19 have been impacted. There
are certain gaps which are identified and this helps in addressing the fact that how effectively and
in appropriate manner the challenges are drawn upon. The gaps identified within the topic are –
lack of range of skills and competencies within the research which is being identified at large
scale. The social workers lack the key concepts of following the skills and competencies which
has created the gap within the research. The difficulties which has increased during the pandemic
are drawn upon to identify the aspects as how there has been negative influence on the research
which has been conducted.
As stated by Castleberry and Nolen, (2018), The research will help in enriching the aspects
as to how effectively the gaps can be identified within the research and the manner in which the
key challenges are faced amid COVID – 19 implications at large scale. The research helps in
identifying that qualitative research method helps in understanding the aspects as to how the data
collection methods such as gathering the data through surveys are being addressed at large scale.
There are also measures as to how the research is conducted by keeping in point of view of the
be social and health care workers by addressing the issues which are faced within the research
such as Covid – 19. The research will be enriched by exploring the different methods of how the
qualitative data method can be undertaken to address the aspects of analysis drawn upon for the
effective framework of the research being conducted at large scale.
METHODOLOGY
The research will be carried out by analysing and evaluating the research in detail manner
which is done through –
Research Type – There are two types of research which are mentioned as – qualitative and
quantitative research method. Qualitative research method focuses on gaining the understanding
and knowledge about the first – hand observation, survey, questionnaire etc. Quantitative
research method is the process of analysing and collecting the numerical data to find the patterns
and generalize the results within the research being conducted (Myin‐Germeys and et.al., 2018).
The researcher has followed the quantitative research method as it helps in providing the
reliability and validity within the research which is being conducted. The findings can be
generalized within the research by following the qualitative research.

Data Collection – Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring the information in
the systematic manner which helps in enabling the hypothesis and evaluate the outcomes. There
are two major data collection methods which are – Primary and Secondary. Primary data
collection method is the process of collecting and gathering the data through surveys,
experiments or interviews. Secondary data collection method is defined as data that exists or was
previously collected by another person for reporting the research. The researcher has used the
primary data collection method which will be conducted through the surveys.
Sampling – Sampling is defined as the statistical analysis which is predetermined which are
number of observations taken from the larger sample. There are two types of sampling which are
– probabilistic and non – probabilistic sampling. Probabilistic sampling is defined as the
sampling of the finite population of a member of population. Non – probabilistic sampling is
defined as the population which represents the whole population at large scale (Venegas-Vera
and et.al., 2020). The researcher has followed the probabilistic sampling method as it helps in
providing the unbiased representation of the population. This helps in creating the samples which
helps in addressing the aspects as to how the research is being conducted at large scale.
The key characteristics of the sample within the research are the social and health
workers which have been taken within this research to undergo the research by taking the sample
size of the population as 20. This is how the research is being conducted within the research and
how effectively the research is being done within the sample of taking the 20 social and health
care workers. This is how the significance is laid down on the basis of how the sampling is being
undertaken and by the aspects which helps in understanding that the qualitative research is being
conducted at large scale in following the research in an appropriate and detail manner. There is
also the importance as to how the data collection method which is primary is addressed through
the survey being conducted at large scale. With the help of data collection, research types and
sampling the research to examine the role played by social and health workers for assisting
community during global pandemic COVID-19 is being addressed in an appropriate manner.
These details will help in providing the positive aspects of conducting the research.
RESULTS
The results which are being drawn upon helps in analysing that how the social and health
care workers are taking concern to examine their role within the assisting community during

global pandemic COVID – 19. It has been found that the individuals have been negatively
impacted by the effects of pandemic and this has created major concern for the social and health
care workers in taking concern and providing the care facilities to the patients at large scale
within NHS within large scale (Kretchy and et.al., 2021).
There have been certain data and analysis through the graph which has been drawn and
mentioned as important for addressing the topic of role played by social and health workers for
assisting community during global pandemic COVID-19. The graph has been depicted below –
Figure: Risk of testing positive for COVID-19 among front-line health-care workers
This is how the social and health care workers within the community has been impacted due to
COVID – 19. And the aspects of how the areas of UK is being impacted at large scale.
EVALUATION
The evaluation was done on the basis of how effectively and in appropriate manner the
research aim and objectives were framed. The research aim helped in analysing the role played
by the health and social care workers for assisting the community during the global pandemic
COVID -19. The research objectives were framed which helped in determining the challenges

faced by health and social workers during global pandemic situation COVID-19 in respect of
personal and professional perspective, to investigate the role of social and health workers in
providing assistance to community during the time of COVID-19 and to explore the strategies
and policies adopted by NHS to protect social and health workers volunteered for COVID-19.
These are some major objectives which have bene framed in analysing the concepts of how the
social workers are contributing to the community by preventing them from the effects of global
pandemic (Cadogan and Hughes, 2021).
There were no major changes as the participants took part in the survey skilfully by
addressing and answering all the questions for the framework of the research which has been
undertaken. To continue with the research project, the major requirements was of the quantitative
data methods which should be addressed and the research also needed some major
recommendations for the challenges which are faced by the social and health care workers during
the time of COVID - 19. The strategies for the topic should be framed in such manner that the
overall research is being conducted at large scale and the results are achieved effectively and
appropriately without any gaps identified.
CONCLUSION
Thus, it is analysed from the above research that literature review helped in providing the
insight of what are the essential determinants of research methods. The clear trends in the
research area which is health and social care was being analysed in an effective and efficient
manner. Further, methodology helped in explaining the research type which was qualitative data
being undertaken, the data collection methods such as primary data collection method which was
conducted through the survey was analysed and identified. Moreover, sample size of 20 health
and social care workers of NHS were taken into consideration at large scale and in appropriate
manner. Some results and key findings were analysed and evaluated within the core topic which
was role played by social and health workers for assisting community during global pandemic
COVID-19.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Aljumah, F.H., 2020. Second Language Acquisition: A Framework and Historical Background
on Its Research. English Language Teaching. 13(8). pp.200-207.
Ballard, M., Bancroft, E. and et.al., 2020. Prioritising the role of community health workers in
the COVID-19 response. BMJ Global Health. 5(6). p.e002550.
Cadogan, C.A. and Hughes, C.M., 2021. On the frontline against COVID-19: Community
pharmacists’ contribution during a public health crisis. Research in Social and
Administrative Pharmacy. 17(1). pp.2032-2035.
Castleberry, A. and Nolen, A., 2018. Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: Is it as easy
as it sounds?. Currents in pharmacy teaching and learning. 10(6). pp.807-815.
Juvinyà-Canal, D. and et.al., 2020. Health literacy among health and social care university
students. International journal of environmental research and public health. 17(7).
p.2273.
Kretchy, I.A. and et.al., 2021. Medication management and adherence during the COVID-19
pandemic: perspectives and experiences from low-and middle-income
countries. Research in social and administrative pharmacy. 17(1). pp.2023-2026.
Morse, G.A. and Dell, N.A., 2021. The well-being and perspectives of community-based
behavioral health staff during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social Work in Health
Care. 60(2). pp.117-130.
Mosurska, A., 2021. The reflective research diary: a tool for more ethical and engaged disaster
research. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal.
Myin‐Germeys, I. and et.al., 2018. Experience sampling methodology in mental health research:
new insights and technical developments. World Psychiatry. 17(2). pp.123-132.
Reed, S. and et.al., 2021. Integrating health and social care. London: Nuffield Trust.
Venegas-Vera, A.V. and et.al., 2020. Positive and negative impact of social media in the
COVID-19 era. Reviews in cardiovascular medicine. 21(4).
Waters, R., 2020. Community Workers Lend Human Connection To COVID-19 Response:
Article examines the role of community health workers in responding to the COVID-19
pandemic.
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Wells, K.J., Dwyer, A.J. and et.al., 2021. Community health workers and non-clinical patient
navigators: A critical COVID-19 pandemic workforce. Preventive Medicine. 146.
p.106464.
2