Showing papers by "Souraya Sidani published in 2004"

Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions: exploration of two statistical methods.

Abstract: Repeated measures designs are often used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. In these designs, the outcomes are measured on several occasions before and after implementation of the intervention. Two statistical methods, the repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-ANOVA) and hierarchical linear models (HLM), can be used to analyze the data. The authors provide an overview of the statistical models underlying RM-ANOVA and HLM and discuss the strengths and limitations of each. They propose that the 2 methods are complementary in determining the effectiveness of interventions.

Rethinking the research-practice gap: relevance of the RCT to practice.

Abstract: The research-practice gap is not a new phenomenon in nursing. It was first observed about 50 years ago.The results of surveys conducted in various countries and at different points in time have consistently indicated that a small percentage of nurses use research-based evidence to guide their practice (e.g., Brett, 1987; Coyle & Sokop, 1990; Ketefian, 1975; Kirchhoff, 1982; Parahoo, Barr, & McCaughan, 2000; Rodgers, 2000). Attention to the research-practice gap has resurfaced at a time when evidence-based practice is viewed as a means for enhancing the quality of health and nursing care.The implementation of evidence-based nursing practice requires that nurses critically review the research evidence supporting the effectiveness of interventions, synthesize it, and translate it into practice guidelines.Yet, anecdotal and empirical observation suggests that the updating and use of research findings in everyday practice is rather limited (Naylor, 2003). Barriers to research utilization have been identified in four areas: the social system in which nurses are employed, nurses’ research values and skills, quality of research, and methods for communicating research (Funk,Tornquist, & Champagne, 1995).Various strategies have been proposed to address these barriers and subsequently the research-practice gap. For instance, unit-based journal clubs and workshops focusing on the critical appraisal of research have been established in an effort to increase nurses’ research knowledge and skills. Other organizational strategies to support the research-utilization endeavours of nurses include the following: pairing of researchers and clinicians to work on developing practice guidelines, making computers available in the practice setting to facilitate access to research literature, and using research or evidencebased practice as a key value (Estabrooks, 2003; Funk et al.; LeMay, Mulhall, & Alexander, 1998).Another strategy is to improve the methods for disseminating research findings to practitioners (Oxman,Thomson, & Davis, 1995). CJNR 2004,Vol. 36 No 3, 7–18