community health

2. There are many factors that should be considered while
deciding credibility of a particular research question for a
scientific investigation. Some of the most essential factor
are discussed below:
1.Significance to nursing profession: A problem that
that a researcher is selecting should have significance to
nursing profession or it will not any purpose.A research
problem is significant for nursing profession when it is
directed to develop or refine the body of professional
knowledge.

3. A research problem could be considered could be
significant for nursing profession if it fulfils the following
criteria.
 Benefits the nursing profession and patients,nurses,and
health care fraternity through the study.
 Improves the cilinical nursing practices through the
results.
 Promotes solutions of current nursing practice needs.
 Generates information to get practical implication for
nursing profession.

4. 2.Original : It is fundamentally considered that every
research problem should be new and unique in itself.
Therfore, it is the key responsibility of a researcher that
an innovative knowledge in a profession.

5. 3.Feasible : Feasibility is an essential consideration of any
research project. Regardeless of how significant or
researchable a problem may be, the feasibility of research
problem in reference to time,avialabilty of
subjects,facilities,equipments and money,and ethical
considerations should be checked . It will help the
researcher to decide whether selected problem is
appropriate or inappropriate about study can be actually
carried out or not

6. i.Time: A nurse might be interested in studying sibling
relationships among of quintuplets Knowledge of the
incidence of quintuplet births would certainly discourage
anyone considering on this particular population unless
the researcher plans to make this a lifetime project.

7. ii.Cost: All research projects cost money;some studies
are much more expansive than others. The
researcher must consider realistically the financial
resources available.
iii. Equipment and Supplies: All research projects
requires some types of resources.Therefore, before
making the final decision to conduct a study,an
accurate determination of the needed equipment
and supplies should be ensured. Some questions
that should be answered before beginning a
research must include:
What is the equipment that will be needed ?

8.  Is this equipment available and in proper working order?
 Is there a qualified operator of the equipment?
 If the researcher takes into consideration equipment and
supplies in the early phases of research project, there are
less chances of being revised.

9. iv.Administrative Support: Many research projects
require administrative support. The nurse researcher
may find it very difficult to conduct research
independently. Financial as well as psychological support
from administration is very helpful.

10. v. Peer Support: Many research ideas have never been
developed because potential researchers received no
support from their peers. One of the best ways to
determine researchable problem is through interactions
and discussions with other
vi. Availbilty of Subjects: A researcher may believe that
study subjects are readily avialble for the study. But this
may not be the case. Potential subjects may not study
criteria,may be unwilling to participating in other
studies.nurses.

11. vii Researcher’s Competence: A research problem can only
be feasible if it is in accordance with researcher’s
competence,where researcher is capable of handling a given
research problem.
viii Ethical Consideration: A researcher must ensure that the
research problem can be considered by the ethical
committee without undue hurdles.A very important topic
of research cannot be considerd feasible unless it is in
accordance with ethical guidelines.
 Solvable/Researchable: Problem selected is
considered good only if it is solvable so that chances of
insolvabilty of problem should be minimized. This will
enhance relevant results.For example,a researcher selects a
research problem to know existence of God in the universe.

12.  Current: A good research problem must be based on
the current problems and needs of a profession. So
that results generated will be of more use.
 Intresting: A research problem can only be
considered good if it is is in accordance with
researcher’s field of intrest. A research problem must
be as per the motivation of the researcher and
should be fascinating to the researcher, so that
research is conducted with full enthusiasm and not
merely for its accomplishment.

13. The actual procedures for developing a research
topic are difficult to describe. The process is
rarely a smooth and orderly one; there are likely
to be false starts, inspirations, and setbacks in
the process of developing a research problem
statement.

14. The process of formulation involves the following
steps:
1. Selecting a Topic, the development of research
problem is a creative process that depends on
imagination and ingenuity. In the early stages, when
research ideas are being generated, it is wise not to
be critical of them immediately. It is better to relax
and select the topic from the area of interest and
knowledge from the study.

15.  When the most fruitful idea has been selected,
the list of rest of the topic should not be
discarded; it may be necessary to return to it.
The title should be carefully worded. It should
indicate the core of the study, reflect the real
intention the researcher and show what the
focus is. Title also indicates the setting of the be
carefully worded study.

16.  Beginning researchers often develop problems
that are too broad in scope or too complex and
unwieldy for their level of methodological
expertise. The transformation of general of the
general topic into a workable problem is typically
accomplished in a number of uneven steps,
involving a series of successive approximations

17. 2. Narrowing the topic: Once researchers have
identified a topic of interest, they need to ask
questions that led to a researchable problem.
Examples of question stems that may help to
focus an inquiry include the following:
 What is going on with…?
 What is the process by which…?
 Why do…? When do…?
 What can be done to solve…?
 How effective is…..?

18.  Each step should result in progress toward the
goal of narrowing the scope of the scope of the
problem and sharpening and defining the
concepts. Researchers choose the final problem
to be studied based on several factors, including
its inherent interest to them and its
compatibility with a paradigm of the preference.
In addition, tentative problems usually vary in
their feasibility and worth. It is at this point that
a critical evaluation of ideas is appropriate.

19. 3. Evaluating Research Problems :There are no
rules for making a final selection of a research
problem. Some criteria, however, should be kept
in mind in the decision- making process. The
four most important considerations are the
significance, research ability, and feasibility of
the problem, and its interest to the researcher.

20. a. Significance of the problem :
A crucial factor in selecting a problem to be
studied is its significance to nursing specially to
nursing practice. Evidence from the study should
have the potential of contributing meaningfully
to nursing knowledge.
Researchers should pose the following kind of
questions:
 Is the problem an important one?
 Will patients, nurses, will get the broader health
Care community or society benefit from the
evidence that will be produce?

21.  Will the results have theoretical relevance?
 Will the study help to formulate or alter nursing
practices or policies?
 If the answer s to all these questions is NO, then
the problem should be abandoned.

22. b.Researchability of the Problem : Not all problems
are amenable to study through scientific
investigation. Problem or questions of a moral or
ethical nature, although provocative, are
incapable of being researched.
For example, the following:
Should assisted suicide be legalized?
The answer to such a question is based on a
person’s values.
There is no right or wrong answers only related
questions that could be researcher.

23.  For instance, each of the following questions
could be investigated in a research process:
 What are nurses’ attitudes towards assisted
suicide?
• How do family members experience the loss of a
loved one through assisted suicide?
• What are the attitudes of terminally ill patients
towards assisted suicide?
The information from these projects could be
useful in developing a better understanding of
the issues.

24. c. Feasibility of Addressing the Problem: A problem
that is both significant and researchable may still
be inappropriate if a study designed to address it
is not feasible. The issues of feasibility
encompass various considerations. Not all of the
following factors are relevant for every problem,
but they should be kept in mind in making a
final decision.

25. i. Time and Timing: Most studies have deadlines
or at least goals for completion. Therefore, the
problem must be one that can be adequately
studied within the time allotted. This means that
the scope of the problem should be sufficiently
restricted that enough time will be available for
the various steps.

26.  It is wise to be conservative in estimating time
for various tasks because research activities often
require more time to accomplish than
anticipated.

27. ii. Availability of study Participants: In any
study involving humans, researchers need to
consider whether individuals with the desired
characteristics will be available and willing to
cooperate..

28. Securing people may in some cases be easy(eg.
Getting nursing students to complete a
questionnaire in a classroom), but other
situations may pose more difficulties.

29. Some people may not have, others may have no
interest in a study that has little personal benefit,
and others may not feel well enough to
participate.

30. ii. Cooperation of Others: Often, it is insufficient
to obtain the cooperation of prospective study
participants alone. If the sample includes
children, mentally incompetent people, or senile
individuals, it would be necessary to secure the
permission of parents or In institutional or
organizational settings.

31. eg. Hospitals, access to clients, members,
personnel, or records usually requires
administrative authorization. Many health care
facilities require that any project be presented to
a panel of reviewers for approval.

32. iii. Facilities and Equipment: All studies have
resource requirements, although in some cases,
needs may be modest. It is prudent to consider
what facilities and equipment will be needed and
whether they will be available before embarking
on a project to avoid disappointment and
frustration.

33. The following is a partial list of considerations:
 Will assistants be needed, and are such
assistants available?
 If technical equipments and apparatus are
needed can they be secured, and they
functioning properly?
 Will space be required, and can it be obtained?
 Will telephones, office equipments, or other
supplies be required?
 Will transportation needs pose any difference?

34. iv. Money: Money requirement for any research
may vary widely from thousands to lacks. The
investigator on a limited budget should think
carefully about projected expenses before
making the final selection of a problem..
Some major categories of research-related
expenditures are the following:
• Literature costs- computerized literature search,
internet access, index cards, books, journals.

35.  Personnel costs- payments to individuals hired
with the data collection (e.g. for conducting
interviews, coding data entry, word processing.
 Study participant costs- payment to participants
as an incentive for their cooperation or to offset
their own expenses (e.g. transportation or baby-
sitting costs.

36. • Supplies-paper, envelopes, computer disks,
postage, audiotapes, and so forth Printing and
duplication costs- expenditures for printing
forms, questionnaires, participant recruitment
notices, and so on.
• Equipment- laboratory apparatus, audiovisual
aids, calculators, and the like
• Computer-related expenses
• Laboratory fees for the analysis of bio physiologic
data
• Transportation costs

37.  v. Experience of the Researcher: The problem
should be chosen from a field about which
investigators have some prior knowledge or
experience. Researchers have difficulty
adequately developing a study on a topic that
is totally new and unfamiliar-although clinical
fieldwork before launching the study may
make up for certain deficiencies..

38.  In addition to substantive knowledge, the issue
of technical expertise should not be overloaded.
Beginning researchers with limited
methodological skills should avoid research
problems that might require the development of
sophisticated measuring instruments or that
involve complex data analysis

39. vi. Ethical Consideration: A research problem may
not be feasible because the investigation of the
problem would pose unfair or unethical
demands on participants. The ethical
responsibilities of researchers should be taken
lightly. People engaged in research activities
should be thoroughly knowledgeable about the
rights of human or animal subjects.

40. d.Interest to the Researcher: Even if the
tentative problem is researchable, significant,
and feasible, there is one more criterion; the
researcher’s own interest in the problem.
Genuine interest in and curiosity about the
chosen research problem are critical pre
requisites to a successful study.

41. A great deal of time and energy are expended in a
study; there is little sense devoting these
personal resources to a project that does not
generate enthusiasm.

42. Formats of Formulating Problem and its
Significance:
 The primary task of research is collection of
relevant data and the analysis of data for
finding answers to the research questions.
The proper performance of this task depends
upon the identification of exact data and
information require for the study.

43.  The clear and accurate statement of the problem,
the development of the conceptual model, the
definition of the objectives of the study, the
setting of investigative questions, the
formulation of hypotheses to be tested and the
operational definition of concepts and the
delimitation of the study determine the exact
data needs of the study

44.  Thus, formulation gives a direction and specific
focus to the research effort. After the problems
have been selected, it must be definitely
formulated and stated. If it is to serve as guide in
planning the study and interpreting its results, it
is essential that the problem is stated in precise
terms.

45.  The selected problem should be stated formally
in writing before proceeding to the design of the
study. A good statement of the problem will
serve as a guide throughout the study. A study
may be written in declarative form or in
interrogative form. Both are acceptable formats.

46. a. Declarative Form: Declarative form means
making declarative statements of the problem.
For example, if research focus is on the effect of
relation on anxiety and dispends in patient with
COPD, the problem statement will be
 1. This study investigates the effect of relaxation
or anxiety and dispends in patient with COPD.
 2. The effect of chronically illness during midlife
is unknown.
 3. Research has not demonstrated that the type
of staffing patterns prevent burnout in critical-
care nurses.

47. b. Interrogative Form : Interrogative form means
posing question on research problem.
For example, if research focus is on factors that
influence adaptation of preadolescents and adolescent
with diabetes, the problem statement will be.
 1. What are the influences of age, coping behavior and
self-care in psychological adoptions and
preadolescents and adolescents with insulin-
dependent diabetes mellitus?
 2. What are the effects of chronic illness during
midlife?
 3. What types of staffing patterns will decrease
burnout in critical care nurses?

48. One may choose any of these ways remembering
that the question form has an advantage in
sharpening and focusing the issue. It is
preferred, because it is more simple and concise,
and it leads more directly to the solution. The
declarative form is more common, and both the
ways may be combined easily in an initial
structure.

49. Summary
Research problems or topics are not pulled from thin
air. Research problem should indicate that practical
experience, critical appraisal of the scientific
literature, or interest in untested theory has practical
experience, a critical appraisal of the scientific
literature, or interest in untested theory has
provided the basic for the generation of research
idea. The problem statement should reflect a
refinement of the researcher’s initial thinking, which
includes defining the problem area, beginning the
literature review significance of the problem and
feasibility.