The document discusses the research process for NURS 640 and provides guidance on developing a research topic. It suggests asking questions to identify a topic that is curious or annoying in one's work. A good research topic studies a specific problem, person, or circumstance, and aims to answer how often something occurs, what causes something, or how effective something is. Examples of research topics include shortening wait times, the impact on siblings of hospitalized children, and reducing stress for emergency room patients. An ideal topic is interesting, feasible to study, answers an important unknown, and is specific but not too broad in scope without ethical issues.

1. The Research ProcessNURS 640

2. Ask yourself questions, think…What am I curious about?What annoys me at work?Isn’t there a better way to do ______?Why do we do this procedure this way?I wish I could find out more about ____.

3. The research problem answers…What is being studiedWho is being studiedAnd why it is being studied

4. Refine your ideaWhat is wrong with ____?How often does ____ occur?Under what circumstances does ____ occur?What will happen if ____?What are the consequences of ____?What causes _____?How effective is ______?What differences exist for ______?

5. Some examplesHow can I shorten wait times in my clinic?What happens to siblings of children hospitalized for appendicitis?How can nurses reduce stress for patients awaiting care in the ERMany, many more…

6. What makes a good topic? It’s interestingIt’s do-ableIt is important to knowThe topic is specific enough to study something about it, but not so broad as to make it impossible to complete!Would studying the problem create ethical problems?