Discussion Post: Analyzing Shapiro et al. (2009) Bio-statistical Data

This discussion post provides a bio-statistical analysis of the Shapiro et al. (2009) article, which explores the use of filmmaking to educate medical students about patients with chronic illnesses. The analysis focuses on the claim that filming patients during home and clinic visits increased students' appreciation for patient-centered care and community resources. Statistical evidence, including t-test results and Likert scale responses, is presented to support this claim. The post also examines the study's methodology, highlighting the use of questionnaires and the increasing sample size. A critical appraisal of the article emphasizes the importance of statistical data in healthcare and its application to nursing. References to Cohn et al. (2009) are included to support the analytical approach and the validity of the study's methods.

Discussion Post: Bio-statistical Analysis
Human life is so sensitive and fragile. Nurses should thus provide evidence-based facts
and data in their roles. This discussion post, therefore, is an analysis of Shapiro et al. (2009)
article on using film making to teach medical students about patients living with chronic illness.
We will restrict ourselves on a single claim.
Claim
Filming a patient during home and clinic visits increased the students’ appreciation for the role
of listening to patients during a clinic visit and for the role of community resources in supporting
patients with chronic illness.
Statistical Evidence Supporting the Claim
Improvement on student knowledge was observed and measured based on before and after the
initiation of the project. The results were as listed below: The students used a five-point scale
where 1 represented Not at all and 5 was an equivalent of Very much. All items are significantly
greater than 1 in a single-tailed t-test at .05. Not all of the participating students completed
questionnaires. The mean before rating was: 2.125 (SE 0.90). The mean after was 4.08 (SD
0.51); t = 10.05, P .0001 (Shapiro et al, 2009). Here are some of the Likert questions involved
after the study: After this project, how likely are you to involve patients in directing their own
care?” (1= less likely, 5 = more likely) (mean =4.3, SE = 0.05); To what degree did the visits and
the creation of the video impact your thinking about what should or should not be covered in a
clinic visit? (1 = no impact, 5 = significant impact) (Mean = 4, SE =0.17).
The reasoning behind the Claim
The study was valid since, according to Cohn et al. (2009), a proper analytic approach should be
appropriate for given study design. The method of the study above used a questionnaire which

was a suitable tool to acquire information from the patient-teachers. Likewise, the survey as
provided by Cohen et al. (2009), has power analysis as we can see the sample study increasing
progressively from 10 in 2006, 22 in the following and 34 in that order. Moreover, the student
provided for both inferential and descriptive analysis of the data which make rich in the
information proofing its significance to the student and the patients themselves for the
participatory in the survey.
Critical Appraisal of the Article
It is always wise of the medical experts to show the conformity of any study before its
application in the role of nursing. It is especially important to revisit the analytical data provided
in any bio-statistical analysis to avoid unnecessary loss of lives. From own view, the statistical
data provided by Shapiro et al. (2009) support the claim stated above.
References
Cohn, E.G., Jia, H., & Larson, E. (2009). Evaluation of statistical approaches in
quantitative nursing research. Clinical Nursing Research, 18(3), 223-241. DOI:
10.1177/1054773809336096
Shapiro, D., Tomasa, L., & Alexander, N. (2009). Patients as teachers, medical students
as filmmakers: The video slam, a pilot study. Academic Medicine, 84(9), 1235-
1243. DOI: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181b18896