Homework 1: Analyzing Quantitative and Qualitative Studies in Nursing

This homework assignment analyzes two nursing research articles. The first article is a quantitative study evaluating the efficacy of a psycho-education program for patients with chronic cardiac pain, focusing on the research question, hypothesis, literature review quality, and theoretical framework. The second article is a qualitative study using a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of minority nursing faculty, examining the purpose, significance, research questions, literature review, and framework. The analysis includes critical evaluation of the studies' methodologies, findings, and implications for nursing practice and research, highlighting the importance of evidence-based practice and the experiences of diverse faculty within the nursing profession. Both studies are assessed for their strengths and weaknesses, providing a comprehensive understanding of research design and analysis.

Running head: QUANTITATIVE STUDY ARTICLE
Quantitative Study Article
Name
Institutional Affiliation

QUANTITATIVE STUDY ARTICLE 2
Quantitative Study Article
Purpose
Why did the researchers conduct this study?
The study was conducted to determine the efficacy of psycho-education program in
patients suffering from chronic cardiac pain. Psycho-education is a self-management program
that provides information to the affected population on how to manage chronic pain. Chronic
cardiac pain does not go away but it stays with the individual to the point of death.
Is the problem significant for nursing?
This problem is significant and relevant to nursing because it is based on evidence-based
approach. Since many aging adults are affected with chronic pain, this program will help
healthcare providers to determine the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions in managing
chronic cardiac pain. This is especially applicable to patients that are already using
pharmacological drugs as they fight other chronic diseases such as diabetes. The focus on
psycho-education as an intervention mechanism also plays a significant role in the involvement
of patients in their own care. Once the patient and the family members have learned how to
manage and cope with cardiac pain, the role of the healthcare provider is reduced and the
practitioner can focus on helping other people.
Research Questions and Hypothesis
What is the research question(s) for this study?
The researchers have not stated the research question for the study. However, from the
title of the article and the methodology of the study, one can deduce the research question that
this study sought to answer as “How effective is the chronic angina self-management program
(CASMP) in managing chronic pain in patients with chronic angina?”

QUANTITATIVE STUDY ARTICLE 3
Is the research question explicitly stated?
The research question is not explicitly stated. One has to read through the introduction
section and the title of the paper to deduce the problem that the researchers were trying to solve.
This can be discouraging to readers that want to pick information at a glance from the article.
However, this strategy also makes sure that the reader goes through the whole article to
understand the meaning and get the problem that the researchers were trying to study.
If the question was not stated, what do you think the question is?
What is the hypothesis for this study?
The researchers have not stated the hypothesis for this study. The reader has to go
through the whole article to deduce the intended hypothesis for the study.
If the hypothesis is not stated what is the hypothesis
Even though the hypothesis is not stated, one can infer the hypothesis from the objective
or the research problem for this study. The hypothesis is that “psycho-education increases the
efficacy of self-management in patients with chronic cardiac pain.”
Literature review
What is quality of the literature review?
In this article, the researchers have peer-reviewed research articles published between the
years 1990 and 2002. The literature review has been extracted from books and research articles
that were conducted on cardiac pain. Some of the literature review journal articles include
Annals of International Medicine, Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, Heart and Stroke
Foundation of Canada, European Journal of Cardiovase Nursing, American Journal of
Medicine, and Canadian Association of Heart Rehab. The choice of peer-reviewed journal
articles and textbooks for literature review provides a strong foundation for the reader to evaluate

QUANTITATIVE STUDY ARTICLE 4
the validity of evidence presented and compare it with what other scholars and authors had said
found after researching the topic.
Are the references up to date and based mainly on primary sources?
The references are up to date, considering that this research article was published in 2010.
All references range between 1997 and 2007, indicating that they are in a range of ten years.
Framework
Does the study identify a theoretical or conceptual framework?
The researchers have identified the psycho-education theoretical framework as the best
framework for this study. Even though the framework has not been identified by a title in the
paper, the reader can find it in the section titled “introduction” in the literature review. This
strategy makes the reader to go through the text to find what the study was about. It may
however be difficult for readers that did not intend to read the whole text from finding the
relevant information by just perusing the article.
If so what is the framework used?
Psycho-education model is used in psychology and biological sciences to change the
behaviors and patterns of people that need to alter their attitude and behavior towards a problem.
In this research study, the psycho-education model intended to help patients with cardiac angina
to self-manage the disease and increase their physical activities to reduce pain as they cope with
the disease.
Is the framework drawn from nursing or from another discipline?
This framework is drawn from nursing and psychology. In nursing, this framework model
seeks to provide knowledge and information to patients and their loved ones so that they can
understand the progression of the disease and identify the strategies that they can use to cope

QUANTITATIVE STUDY ARTICLE 5
with challenges that emanate from the disease. According to McGillion, Watt-Watson, Stevens,
Lefort, Coyte, and Graham (2008), the psycho-education model endourages the participants to
increase self-talk and self-efficacy skills that increase their mastery of strategies of coping with
pain emanating from the disease.

QUANTITATIVE STUDY ARTICLE 6
References
McGillion, M., H., Watt-Watson, J., Stevens, B., Lefort, M., S., Coyte, P., & Graham, A. (2008).
Randomized controlled trial of a psycho-education program for the self-management of
chronic cardiac pain. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, 1.