Assignment Activity Unit 1
This assignment will assess your knowledge and skills about:
- Examining the necessity and application of research in the Health Sciences.
- Reflecting on how research informs practice in healthcare settings.
- Differentiating between types of research studies.
- Explaining the role of research in evidence-based practice.
Assignment:
Research plays a pivotal role in shaping healthcare practices by providing a foundation for evidence-based interventions. The utility of research in health sciences lies in its ability to systematically gather data and evaluate healthcare practices, ensuring that they are effective, safe, and based on scientific evidence. Through various research designs – quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method – researchers can explore different aspects of healthcare, from clinical trials to patient experiences, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of health issues. For example, chronic disease management has greatly benefited from research, where evidence-based practices, such as personalized treatment plans and patient education, have evolved based on rigorous study findings. This intersection of research and practice underscores the importance of continuously refining healthcare interventions to enhance patient outcomes and quality of care.
Based on the readings from this unit, you are required to:
- Reflect on how research has influenced a particular area of healthcare practice. Identify at least one area (e.g., mental health interventions, chronic disease management, patient safety protocols) where research has shaped something that impacted your life, and describe how research has guided the development of practices in this area.
- Reflect on a time when you needed to analyze data or gather information to make an important decision in your personal or professional life. Identify the type of research approach (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) you used and explain why this approach was appropriate for the situation. Discuss the strengths and limitations of both the research method from the study and the approach you used in your decision-making process. How did these approaches influence the outcomes, and what insights did you gain from these experiences?
- Think about a healthcare practice you have either implemented or observed that had a noticeable impact on patient outcomes (such as hand hygiene protocols, vaccination policies, or patient-centered care). How did this practice impact the situation? Consider how research might have contributed to the development and effectiveness of this practice. What insights did you gain about the importance of evidence-based practice in improving healthcare outcomes?
Submission Instructions:
- Read the rubric on how you are going to be graded on this assignment.
- Your assignment should be a minimum of 750 words and not more than 1000 words (not including the reference list or the title); double-spaced in Times New Roman font, which is no greater than 12 points in size.
- Support your arguments with sources and evidence.
- Use high-quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas appropriate for the discipline and genre of writing. Explore additional details on the INFORMATION LITERACY page (located on the right-hand side of this page). Please consider using references and in-text citations from textbooks and any other sources used in this assignment from the UoPeople library.
- Please consider using references and in-text citations from textbooks and any other sources used in this assignment from our library. You can contact the librarian at library@uopeople.edu if you need help. You can also ask the expert in the Learning Resource Center Course: Learning Resource Center.
This assignment will be assessed by your instructor using the rubric below.
Grading criteria
| Q1. Application of research in practice | Thorough and insightful analysis of how research has significantly influenced a specific area, with detailed examples and context.25 pointsClear explanation of how research has influenced a specific area of practice, with relevant examples.17 pointsBasic explanation of how research influenced a specific area, with some examples but lacking detail.10 pointsProvides no answer/ incorrect answer.0 points |
| Q2. Differentiate between research types | Provides a detailed and thoughtful reflection on the chosen healthcare practice, clearly explaining its impact on patient outcomes, along with a thorough analysis of strengths and limitations.25 pointsClear reflection on the chosen healthcare practice. Explanation of impact on patient outcomes, and analysis of strengths and limitations is generally accurate but may lack depth17 pointsProvides a basic reflection on the chosen healthcare practice, with limited explanation of its impact on patient outcomes, and lacks explanation of strengths and limitations.10 pointsProvides no answer/ incorrect answer.0 points |
| Q3. Evidence-Based Practice | Thorough and insightful explanation of how research shapes evidence-based practice, with detailed examples and a deep understanding of the process.20 pointsClear explanation of how research contributes to evidence-based practice, with relevant examples.14 pointsBasic explanation of how research contributes to evidence-based practice, with some examples but lacks depth.7 pointsProvides no answer/ incorrect answer.0 points |
| Use Information effectively | Choose from a variety of information sources appropriate to the scope of the question. Selects sources after considering the importance to the question/topic of the multiple criteria used (such as relevance to the question, currency, authority, audience, and bias or point of view).10 pointsChoose from a variety of information sources appropriate to the scope of the question. Selects sources using multiple criteria (such as relevance to the question, currency, and authority).8 pointsChooses from a variety of information sources. Selects sources using basic criteria (such as relevance to the question and currency)5 pointsChoose from a few information sources. Selects sources using limited criteria (such as relevance to the question).1 pointsDoes not use any information sources or uses information sources that are irrelevant or inappropriate to the scope of the question.0 points |
| Sources and Evidence | Demonstrates skillful use of high-quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas appropriate for the discipline and genre of writing. Proper citations and references are consistently included.10 pointsDemonstrates consistent use of credible, relevant sources to support ideas that are situated within the discipline and genre of the writing. Proper citations and references are included, but occasionally inconsistent.8 pointsDemonstrates an attempt to use credible and/or relevant sources to support ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of the writing. The citations and references are mostly not proper and inconsistent.5 pointsDemonstrates an attempt to use sources to support ideas in writing. However, the citations and references are not proper and very inconsistent.3 pointsUses no sources to support ideas in writing.0 points |
| Effective Communication | Uses graceful language that skillfully communicates meaning to readers with clarity and fluency and is error-free.10 pointsUses straightforward language that generally conveys meaning to readers with clarity. The language has a few errors.8 pointsUses language that generally conveys meaning to readers. The writing includes some errors.5 pointsUses language that sometimes impedes meaning because of errors in usage.3 pointsUses language that most of the time impedes meaning because of errors in usage or distracts the reader.1 pointsDoes not use language that conveys meaning to readers. The writing is filled with errors that significantly impede communication.0 points |
Research Methods in Health Sciences: Personal Reflection on Evidence-Based Practice
Research Methods in Health Sciences: Personal Reflection on Evidence-Based Practice
Department of Health Science, University of the People
HS 4990-01 Research Seminar in Health Science 1 – AY2025-T3
Assignment Activity Unit 1
January 05, 2024
Introduction
As a student pursuing health science, I have come to appreciate how research fundamentally shapes healthcare practices and outcomes. Through both personal experiences and academic study, I have observed the critical role that evidence-based approaches play in advancing medical knowledge and improving patient care. This reflection explores how research has influenced healthcare practice, examined different research methodologies and discussed the implementation of evidence-based practices through the lens of my personal experiences in healthcare settings.
Research Influence on Healthcare Practice
In my experience, one area where research has significantly impacted healthcare practice is in diabetes management. Having witnessed my grandmother’s journey with type 2 diabetes, I have seen firsthand how research-driven approaches have transformed treatment protocols. According to Ormstad et al. (2021), the integration of evidence-based practice with patient involvement has led to more personalized and effective treatment strategies. For instance, when my grandmother was first diagnosed in 2015, her treatment consisted mainly of oral medication and basic glucose monitoring. However, thanks to research advances, her current treatment plan includes continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), which provides real-time data and has reduced her HbA1c from 8.5% to 6.8% within one year.
The evolution of diabetes care exemplifies how research has revolutionized chronic disease management. Before the advent of CGM technology, patients relied on periodic finger-stick tests that provided only snapshots of blood glucose levels. Modern CGM devices now offer comprehensive data analysis, including trend predictions and automated alerts for dangerous glucose fluctuations. This technological advancement stems from extensive clinical trials and observational studies that demonstrated the superiority of continuous monitoring over traditional methods.
Furthermore, research has informed the development of personalized dietary interventions for diabetes patients. My grandmother’s nutritional plan, for example, was developed based on studies showing the effectiveness of low-glycemic meals combined with portion control. Her medical team used evidence from large-scale dietary studies to create a sustainable meal plan that accommodated her cultural preferences while maintaining optimal blood sugar levels. This personalized approach, supported by research evidence, significantly improved her adherence to dietary recommendations.
Analysis of Research Approaches in Decision-Making
Recently, I faced a situation at my workplace, a primary care clinic, that required careful analysis of patient satisfaction data to improve our appointment scheduling system. This experience helped me understand the practical application of mixed-methods research. We collected quantitative data through patient surveys about wait times and appointment availability, while also gathering qualitative feedback through patient interviews. Singh (2021) emphasizes that combining different research methodologies provides a more comprehensive understanding of healthcare challenges. Our quantitative data revealed that 67% of patients experienced wait times exceeding 30 minutes during peak hours (9-11 AM), while the qualitative interviews uncovered that many patients preferred early morning appointments due to work commitments but found the scheduling system inflexible.
Figure 1: Patient Satisfaction and Wait Times Trends.
The mixed-methods approach proved particularly valuable in identifying systemic issues that single-methodology research might have missed. The quantitative analysis revealed patterns in scheduling bottlenecks: Monday mornings showed the highest patient volume, with an average of 45 patients scheduled between 8-11 AM, compared to 30 patients during the same time slot on other weekdays. Meanwhile, qualitative interviews highlighted previously unknown barriers to appointment access, such as limited online scheduling options and confusion about after-hours care availability.
Our research methodology included:
- Survey data collection from 500 patients over three months
- In-depth interviews with 25 diverse patients
- Analysis of appointment scheduling patterns across different days and times
- Staff feedback sessions to understand operational challenges
After implementing changes based on this comprehensive research approach, we observed:
- Reduction in average wait times from 35 to 18 minutes
- Increase in patient satisfaction scores from 72% to 89%
- 30% decrease in appointment no-shows
- Improved staff satisfaction due to more balanced workload distribution
Impact of Evidence-Based Practice
One healthcare practice I’ve observed that demonstrates the importance of evidence-based approaches is the implementation of a standardized hand hygiene protocol in our local clinic. Chidambaram and Josephson (2019) highlight how observational studies have consistently shown that proper hand hygiene significantly reduces healthcare-associated infections. The protocol, which included strategic placement of hand sanitizing stations and regular staff training, was developed based on research findings from multiple clinical studies.
Figure 2: Infection Rates and Staff Compliance.
The implementation process involved several evidence-based components:
- Installation of automated hand sanitizer dispensers at key points-of-care, based on workflow analysis
- Development of a comprehensive training program incorporating visual aids and hands-on practice
- Implementation of an electronic monitoring system to track compliance
- Regular feedback sessions with staff to address challenges and share success stories
The impact was quantifiable and significant:
- Healthcare-associated infection rates decreased from 2.3% to 0.8% within six months
- Staff compliance with hand hygiene protocols increased from 65% to 94%
- Monthly monitoring showed sustained improvement in infection prevention
- Cost savings of approximately $45,000 annually due to reduced infection-related complications
This experience demonstrated how systematic implementation of research-based protocols could lead to measurable improvements in healthcare outcomes. The success of this initiative relied heavily on the integration of evidence-based guidelines with practical considerations of our specific clinical setting.
Conclusion
Through these experiences and reflections, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the vital role of research in healthcare. The interplay between various research methodologies, evidence-based practice and real-world implementation has shown me how systematic inquiry leads to better healthcare outcomes. The examples from diabetes management, clinic operations and infection control demonstrate that research isn’t just an academic exercise but a fundamental driver of improvements in patient care.
As I continue my studies in health sciences, I am committed to maintaining a research-informed approach to healthcare practice and decision-making. The evidence clearly shows that when healthcare providers base their practices on solid research while considering local context and patient needs, the results can be transformative. This understanding will guide my future contributions to the healthcare field, whether in direct patient care or system-level improvements.
References
Chidambaram, A. G., & Josephson, M. (2019). Clinical research study designs: The essentials. Pediatric Investigation, 3(4), 245-252.
Ormstad, H., Jamtvedt, G., Svege, I., & Crowe, S. (2021). The Bridge Building Model: Connecting evidence-based practice, evidence-based research, public involvement and needs-led research. Research involvement and engagement, 7(1), 1-8.
Singh, H. (2021). Research in Health Sciences: Meaning, Type and Scope in Today’s Era. International Journal of Current Research, 13(1), 15835-15836.
