Critiquing Journal
1. Find the title. Is it clear, concise and accurate in describing the research?
The title of this research article clearly describes the aim of the study in the article. The tile is concise and accurate in describing the main objective of the research article which is how differing shift lengths relate to quality outcome in pediatrics.
2. Find the abstract: What kind of information is found in this section? What are the key points from your article’s abstract?
The abstract consists of a concise summary of the research study. Some of the key points listed in the abstract are the main objective of the research study, the background of the hypothetical question of the research study, the various methods used in the research study, the results …show more content…
or findings of the research study and conclusions to the research study.
3. Find the Introduction. What kind of information is found in this section? What are the key points from your article’s introduction?
The introduction section started with a well known story about an adverse event that happened in one of the leading pediatric hospitals in the United States. The introduction connected this story to some of the elements that might contribute to lapses in providing quality patient care. Some key points in the introduction section are the awareness created by the Joint Commission about fatigue and patient safety, the negative outcomes of long shift hours and sleep deprivation.
Concerns related to the need for more research about the relationship between working hours of pediatric nurses and patient outcomes were also noted in the introduction section.
4. Find the Literature Review. What kind of information is found in this section? How current is and relevant is the literature that’s presented in your article’s literature review?
The literature review section addressed some previous studies which are related to the research being conducted. Some of the previous studies mentioned in the literature review section were a qualitative study about errors made by NICU nurses as a result of long shift hours, a study about the relationship between overtime hours and patient adverse events in 34 units at 7 different hospitals and the National Association of Neonatal Nurses concerns about stress and fatigue leading to burnout in NICU nurses.
5. Find the “Methods” section. What kind of information is found in this section? Write a VERY BRIEF summary of your articles’ methods …show more content…
section.
The method section is divided into four sub sections. These four sub sections are design and data, sample, measurement and instruments, control variables and analysis.
The sample size comprised of 3710 RN’s in 342 hospitals from 4 states namely California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. A mixed method of data collection focused mainly on staff nurses shift length, burnout, job dissatisfaction, intent to leave, frequency of adverse events and assessments of quality and safety.
6. Find the “Results” section. Look at the tables and figures. What kind of information is found in this section? What statistics and/or analysis (qualitative studies) were provided? What do the statistical results that are reported mean? What are the major findings?
In the results section the collected data during the research is summarized. There were two major tables in this section. Table 1 summarized the distribution of nurses by pediatric care setting and shift length. Table 2 summarized distribution of combined outcomes and shift lengths. Table 1 results showed that more ICU nurses than acute care nurses worked 12 hour shifts.
7. Find the “Discussion” section. What kind of information is found in this section? Write a VERY BRIEF summary of your articles’ discussion section.
The articles discussion section gives an overall narrative of the findings during the research.
It was noted in the discussion section that three-quarters of all pediatric nurses during the study worked 12 or more hours. Overall there was a significant difference in patience and quality outcome regarding nurses working 8 hour shift or 12 or more hour shifts. Working these long hour shifts were also associated with poorer self reported nurse and patient outcome, increase incidence of CLABSIs, sleep deprivation, increase likely hood of complaints from families due to irritability and tiredness of nurses, increase in job dissatisfaction, increase in the intent to leave current job and an increase in the likelihood of nurses being burned out.
8. Find the “Conclusions/Implications” section. What kind of information is found in this section? Write a VERY BRIEF summary of your article’s conclusions and implications.
The conclusion section discusses what the findings from the research imply to current nursing practice. The conclusion section stated that this research study is one of the first to throw light on the relationship between pediatric nurses’ shift length, nurse and patient outcome. The conclusion section suggested that based on the results of the research study, nursing management should consider preventing shifts of excessive lengths and allocate resources in other to achieve safer work hours to help improve the health and well being of both nurses and
patients.
9. Find the Reference list. How many articles were cited? What was the date range on them?
The reference list consists of 43 articles. The articles range between the years of 1981 to 2012.
10. Are there any other sections listed in your article that are not included in this list? IF SO, what are they and what information is found in them?
My article had all the above listed sections. However, the introduction and the literature review were not titled and I found it difficult to separate the two.
The title of this research article clearly describes the aim of the study in the article. The tile is concise and accurate in describing the main objective of the research article which is how differing shift lengths relate to quality outcome in pediatrics.
2. Find the abstract: What kind of information is found in this section? What are the key points from your article’s abstract?
The abstract consists of a concise summary of the research study. Some of the key points listed in the abstract are the main objective of the research study, the background of the hypothetical question of the research study, the various methods used in the research study, the results …show more content…
or findings of the research study and conclusions to the research study.
3. Find the Introduction. What kind of information is found in this section? What are the key points from your article’s introduction?
The introduction section started with a well known story about an adverse event that happened in one of the leading pediatric hospitals in the United States. The introduction connected this story to some of the elements that might contribute to lapses in providing quality patient care. Some key points in the introduction section are the awareness created by the Joint Commission about fatigue and patient safety, the negative outcomes of long shift hours and sleep deprivation.
Concerns related to the need for more research about the relationship between working hours of pediatric nurses and patient outcomes were also noted in the introduction section.
4. Find the Literature Review. What kind of information is found in this section? How current is and relevant is the literature that’s presented in your article’s literature review?
The literature review section addressed some previous studies which are related to the research being conducted. Some of the previous studies mentioned in the literature review section were a qualitative study about errors made by NICU nurses as a result of long shift hours, a study about the relationship between overtime hours and patient adverse events in 34 units at 7 different hospitals and the National Association of Neonatal Nurses concerns about stress and fatigue leading to burnout in NICU nurses.
5. Find the “Methods” section. What kind of information is found in this section? Write a VERY BRIEF summary of your articles’ methods …show more content…
section.
The method section is divided into four sub sections. These four sub sections are design and data, sample, measurement and instruments, control variables and analysis.
The sample size comprised of 3710 RN’s in 342 hospitals from 4 states namely California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida. A mixed method of data collection focused mainly on staff nurses shift length, burnout, job dissatisfaction, intent to leave, frequency of adverse events and assessments of quality and safety.
6. Find the “Results” section. Look at the tables and figures. What kind of information is found in this section? What statistics and/or analysis (qualitative studies) were provided? What do the statistical results that are reported mean? What are the major findings?
In the results section the collected data during the research is summarized. There were two major tables in this section. Table 1 summarized the distribution of nurses by pediatric care setting and shift length. Table 2 summarized distribution of combined outcomes and shift lengths. Table 1 results showed that more ICU nurses than acute care nurses worked 12 hour shifts.
7. Find the “Discussion” section. What kind of information is found in this section? Write a VERY BRIEF summary of your articles’ discussion section.
The articles discussion section gives an overall narrative of the findings during the research.
It was noted in the discussion section that three-quarters of all pediatric nurses during the study worked 12 or more hours. Overall there was a significant difference in patience and quality outcome regarding nurses working 8 hour shift or 12 or more hour shifts. Working these long hour shifts were also associated with poorer self reported nurse and patient outcome, increase incidence of CLABSIs, sleep deprivation, increase likely hood of complaints from families due to irritability and tiredness of nurses, increase in job dissatisfaction, increase in the intent to leave current job and an increase in the likelihood of nurses being burned out.
8. Find the “Conclusions/Implications” section. What kind of information is found in this section? Write a VERY BRIEF summary of your article’s conclusions and implications.
The conclusion section discusses what the findings from the research imply to current nursing practice. The conclusion section stated that this research study is one of the first to throw light on the relationship between pediatric nurses’ shift length, nurse and patient outcome. The conclusion section suggested that based on the results of the research study, nursing management should consider preventing shifts of excessive lengths and allocate resources in other to achieve safer work hours to help improve the health and well being of both nurses and
patients.
9. Find the Reference list. How many articles were cited? What was the date range on them?
The reference list consists of 43 articles. The articles range between the years of 1981 to 2012.
10. Are there any other sections listed in your article that are not included in this list? IF SO, what are they and what information is found in them?
My article had all the above listed sections. However, the introduction and the literature review were not titled and I found it difficult to separate the two.