Question

1. How can qualitative and quantitative researches have applied in nursing in relation to patient care?
2. How does smoking, drinking alcohol or consuming drugs affect pregnancy?

Answer 1

How can qualitative and quantitative researches have applied in nursing in relation to patient care?

Qualitative research can be employed in nursing through the following methods;

a. Ethnography

b. Phenomenology

c. Grounded Theory

The choice of method would depend on the situation or the question. For example, if nurses want to have an idea about the steps that are involved in the occurrence of a particular phenomenon, then, grounded theory method would be used. Phenomenology is used by nurses when nurses want to understand a particular phenomenon.

Qualitative research is used by nurses through the following methods:

a. Interviews

b. Focus Groups

c. Observations

d. Analysis of research or written materials

Usually, in nursing, interviews tend to be semi-structured. There may be a topic in question where the answers may be open-ended. The interviews may be structured in such a way that nurses are able to explain and state past experiences with patients. This helps build a rapport between the patients and the nurses. This, in turn, will help get insights, views, and descriptions from patients about their issues and problems and that will lead to the betterment in the quality of health care.

How does smoking, drinking alcohol or consuming drugs affect pregnancy?

Smoking exposes the fetus to harmful toxins and chemicals. About four thousand toxic chemicals are consumed, one of which is nicotine. Nicotine has the effect of the narrowing of the blood vessels. This means less oxygen and a lot less nutrition is provided to the fetus. Additionally, nicotine can also affect the development of the brain and the lungs of the fetus and the damage is irreversible. Preterm birth is also possible. The baby so born preterm, may not be fully developed and may be smaller than average. Such babies are more likely to suffer from colic. Such babies are also likely to suffer from sudden death syndrome and are also more likely to be obese in childhood and can also suffer from asthma

FAS is a more common effect of drinking heavily during pregnancy. Other alcohol-related issues can occur as well.

Drugs can cause birth defects as well as miscarriage. Drug use can also affect the growth and development of the fetus. Preterm birth as well as death of the fetus is also possible.