University of Phoenix Material Example
Research Topic, Problem, and Question
Complete this worksheet to develop your research focus for this course. To help you better understand the main parts of research, this topic will be the basis for other assignments in the course.
Identify a Research Topic
Grove, Gray, and Polit (2015) define a research topic as “a concept or broad issue that is important to nursing, such as acute pain, chronic pain management, coping with illness, or health promotion” (p. 131).
Define your broad research topic in one to two sentences.
Sleep in the Institutionalized elderly is important for quality of life of the older adult. Interventions to promote a healthy sleep pattern in the institutionalized elderly can promote the health and well being of this vulnerable population.
Identify your Research Problem
Grove, Gray, and Polit (2015) explain that a research problem “is an area in which there is a gap in the knowledge needed for nursing practice” (p.131).
Write your research problem and explain the significance and background in a 175- to 260-word narrative.
The aging population of adults over the age of 65 has increased from 37.2 million in 2006 to 49.2 million in 2016. This number is expected to almost double to 98 million in 2060 (U.S. Census Bureau,2008). Population Estimates and Projections Although in 2016 only 1.2 million older adults reside in institutional settings, the increasing number of the aging population will affect the number of older adults residing in institutional settings (.. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018). According to Miner and Kryger (2017), between 40% and 70% of older adults have chronic sleep issues. In addition, poor sleep can significantly affect the daily activities of older adults and reduce their quality of life and is associated with morbidity and mortality. Older adults are affected by polypharmacy, mental and physical disorders and lifestyle changes that can affect sleep patterns. Older adults with multiple health conditions reported getting less than six hours of sleep per night. Research exploring the effects of nursing interventions in the institutionalized setting has the potential to improve the quality of life of older adults.
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Miner B, Kryger MH. Sleep in the Aging Population. Sleep Med Clin. 2017 Mar;12(1):31-38. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2016.10.008. Epub 2016 Dec 20. PMID: 28159095; PMCID: PMC5300306
U.S. Census Bureau. 2008. Population Estimates and Projections.
Administration for Community Living (2018, April) 2017 profile of older Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved September 20, 2020, from https://acl.gov/sites/default/files/Aging%20and%20Disability%20in%20America/2017OlderAmericansProfile.pdf
Develop your Research Question
Research questions should be short, probing, and take variables into account (Grove, Gray & Polit, 2015). Although the PICOS format is not required, your question should address patient, intervention, comparisons, outcomes for practice, and study design.
Develop a one-sentence research question.
Examples for both quantitative and qualitative research questions below:
Quantitative: Is there a difference in sleep for institutionalized older adults before nurse implemented sleep promoting interventions compared to the sleep of institutionalized older adults after nurse implement sleep promoting interventions?
Qualitative (phenomenology): How do institutionalized older adults describe their experiences with nursing assistants at bedtime?
