As a DNP-prepared nurse, patient care will be an integral part of your practice. To meet the needs of patients, you may find yourself searching to understand the relationship between patient care and overall health, the association between patient care and clinical research, or the link between patient care and successful treatment plans. Each of these considerations all revolve around the use of correlational research.

“Correlational research is conducted to establish the direction and the strength of relationships between or among variables as they exist in a natural setting” (Gray & Grove, 2020). Through the use of different methods and designs, correlational research allows the researcher to examine relationships among variables to garner insight into theory and evidence for practice.

This week, you will explore the relationships and associations of variables in studies that conduct correlational research. You will also consider the strengths and weaknesses of different correlation techniques by analyzing data and output for a set of variables.

Reference: Gray, J. R., & Grove, S. K. (2020). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (9th ed.). Elsevier

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze research questions in relation to nursing practice problems
• Develop null and alternative hypotheses for a research study
• Justify independent and dependent variables to support research studies
• Analyze correlations and relationships predicted by statistics between variables in research studies
• Interpret output and results using correlation statistics

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Learning Resources

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)

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Discussion: Correlations

• “Much of the clinical research relevant to nursing explores whether a relationship exists between two patient characteristics. Understanding potentially related characteristics helps nurses better identify which physical, psychological, or demographic factors are associated with reason for concern” (American Nurse, 2011).

• Photo Credit: Getty Images

In order to explore relationships among associated variables, a DNP-prepared nurse may utilize correlational research. This type of research allows for the exploration of connections and measuring of many variables. While not used to determine causality, this research can be integral in proving theory. So, when might an issue or topic need to be explored through relationships and associations?

For this Discussion, review the Learning Resources and reflect on a particular topic of interest that may benefit from a correlational study. Formulate a research question and consider your hypotheses and prediction. Reflect on the effectiveness of conducting correlational research.

Reference:

American Nurse. (2011). Understanding correlation analysis. https://www.myamericannurse.com/understanding-correlation-analysis/

To Prepare:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources and focus on the types of research questions that can be answered using a correlational statistic.
• Brainstorm a number of healthcare delivery or nursing practice problems that could be explored using correlational statistics. Then, select one problem on which to focus for this Discussion.
• Formulate a research question to address the problem and that would lead you to employ correlational statistics.
• Develop a null hypothesis and alternate hypotheses.
• Ask yourself: What is the expected direction of the relationship?

By Day 3 of Week 6

Post a brief description of the selected problem that you identified for the focus of this Discussion and include your research question. Be specific. Explain your null hypothesis and alternate hypotheses for your research question and identify the dependent and independent variables that you would recommend to best support the research study. Then, explain your prediction for the expected relationship (positive or negative) between the variables that you identified. Why do you think that sort of relationship will exist? What other factors might affect the outcome? Be specific and provide examples.

By Day 6 of Week 6

Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days in one or more of the following ways:

• Ask a probing question, substantiated with additional background information, evidence, or research.
• Share an insight from having read your colleagues’ postings, synthesizing the information to provide new perspectives.
• Offer and support an alternative perspective using readings from the classroom or from your own research in the Walden Library.
• Validate an idea with your own experience and additional research.
• Suggest an alternative perspective based on additional evidence drawn from readings or after synthesizing multiple postings.
• Expand on your colleagues’ postings by providing additional insights or contrasting perspectives based on readings and evidence.

Note: For this Discussion, you are required to complete your initial post before you will be able to view and respond to your colleagues’ postings. Begin by clicking on the “Post to Discussion Question” link and then select “Create Thread” to complete your initial post. Remember, once you click on Submit, you cannot delete or edit your own posts, and you cannot post anonymously. Please check your post carefully before clicking on Submit!

Submission and Grading Information

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 6 Discussion Rubric

Post by Day 3 of Week 6 and Respond by Day 6 of Week 6

To Participate in this Discussion:

Week 6 Discussion

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Assignment: Correlations

• Is there a connection between caffeine and headaches? Is there an association between hospital wait times and patient care? Is there a relationship between antibiotic use and weight gain?
  Correlation statistics all begin with a research question, and these research questions all seek to determine relationships between variables. Correlational analysis clarifies relationships, but there are many ways to formulate a correlation. Therefore, the strength of a correlation relies on the variables used and the interpretation of the results that may signify a statistically relevant association or relationship.

• Photo Credit: [triloks]/[E+]/Getty Image

For this Assignment, you will examine how to interpret results obtained through a correlational analysis. You will evaluate the correlation results provided in the Week 6 Correlations Exercises SPSS output and will reflect  on the meaning of the results for the variables examined.

To Prepare:

• Review the Week 6 Correlations Exercises SPSS Output provided in this week’s Learning Resources.
• Review the Learning Resources on how to interpret correlation results to determine the relationship between variables.
• Consider the results presented in the SPSS output and reflect on how you might interpret the results presented.

The Assignment: (2–3 pages)

Answer the following questions using the Week 6 Correlations Exercises SPSS Output provided in this week’s Learning Resources.

1. What is the strongest correlation in the matrix? (Provide the correlation value and the names of variables)
2. What is the weakest correlation in the matrix? (Provide the correlation value and the names of variables)
3. How many original correlations are present on the matrix?
4. What does the entry of 1.00 indicate on the diagonal of the matrix?
5. Indicate the strength and direction of the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and physical health component subscale.
6. Which variable is most strongly correlated with BMI? What is the correlational coefficient? What is the sample size for this relationship?
7. What is the mean and standard deviation for BMI and doctor visits?
8. What is the mean and standard deviation for weight and BMI?
9. Describe the strength and direction of the relationship between weight and BMI.
10. Describe the scatterplot. What information does it provide to a researcher?

Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 6.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 6 Assignment Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 6 Assignment link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK6Assgn+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 6 Assignment Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 6 Assignment draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 6

To participate in this Assignment:

Week 6 Assignment

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What’s Coming Up in Week 7?

• Photo Credit: [BrianAJackson]/[iStock / Getty Images Plus]/Getty Images

Next week, you will continue your exploration of quantitative data. You will analyze and interpret the use of regression analysis and consider how to implement this statistical technique for your potential research.

Looking Ahead: Assignment: CITI Program Training

• As a doctorally-prepared nurse, you may have opportunities to collaborate in research activities in your practice. The Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program) provides education on protection of human subjects. In the United States, the CITI Program is the training module that most research institutions use. Therefore, as a part of this course, you are required to successfully complete the CITI Program training by Day 7 of Week 9.

• Photo Credit: Андрей Яланский / Adobe Stock

This online course may take up to 8 hours to complete. You will receive an electronic Certificate of Completion upon successfully passing the training. You will submit this Certificate of Completion to the Walden University Institutional Review Board office when you submit an application to conduct research.

To Prepare:

• Follow the instructions on the CITI Program Learner Registration webpage to create your account (https://www.citiprogram.org/index.cfm?pageID=154&icat=0&clear=1).
  • Review the CITI Program Learner Registration Guide for step-by-step instructions on completing the registration process.
  • Be sure to select Walden University under the “Select Your Organization Affiliation” section. If you do not select Walden University, you will not be able to access the training at no cost.
• Create and record your CITI Program User Name and Password for future reference.

To complete:

By Day 7 of Week 9

• Complete the five required Citi Program training modules as well as the two elective modules.
• Copy and paste the Certificate of Completion into a Word document and save the file as a “.doc” or “.rtf” file.

You are not required to submit this Assignment this week.

Note: This Assignment must be completed by Day 7 of Week 9 in order for you to successfully complete this course.

Next Week