Disseminating findings, Ethics, Publication, Writing

Looks like a “Scholar Scam” to me! Caveat Emptor

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Caveat emptor2Caveat Emptor! (“let the buyer beware”)   I got a string of emails that I suspect are phishing to get me to send $$$.  Does the emailer assume that I am in some sort of “publish or perish” greed mode?

The likely phisher got in touch with me via ResearchGate.  I love ResearchGate.  Seriously. It’s a great place to notify interested scholars of peer-reviewed work OR to post your work as ‘grey literature’ (i.e., “usually unpublished [work, including]… research reports, …evaluations, theses, dissertations, webcasts, poster sessions, presentations, conference proceedings, PowerPoint Presentations, etc..” per CSU/LB)

I christened the emails a “scholar scam.”  (Please disabuse me of this notion if you know better.)  First,I got an email asking if one of my ResearchGate-posted papers had been published. When I Scamanswered ‘no,’ I got a string of gmails  (not “.edu”) attempting to get me to add as author someone who is not an author, then with other requests.  Supposedly the advantage for me is to get help publishing.  Frankly, I don’t need the help. (If you do, please pick your own reputable scholar friends to assist.)

I suspect that the phisher wants to convince me to PAY with promises  of publication. The paying part would be real and the publication part likely imaginary.  (BTW: Anyone can pay to publish anytime without anyone else’s help.)  I was not yet asked for $$$, but if the emails continue, I expect that to come.

ummm….no thank you….Caveat Emptor!    

What do you think? Anyone else receive similar emails?-Dr.H

p.s. the article in question that is fulltext at ResearchGate – Highfield, MEF, Osterhues, DJ, & Chu, L. (2008) Religious & spiritual content in physical therapy curricula: A survey of U.S. program directors. Published on ResearchGate.

 

Methods, Prospective design, Research design, Survey

After taste…I mean “after test”

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Let’s say you want to find out how well students’ think they learned theory in your class.

One option is to do a pre/post test: You distribute the same survey before and after the class asking them to rate on 1-4 scale how well they think they know the new material. Then you compare their ratings.

Another option is to do posttest only: You could give them a survey after the class that Surveyasks them to rate 1-4 their knowledge before the class and 1-4 their knowledge now. Then you compare their ratings.

One research option is stronger than the other.  Which one is it? and Why?  (hint: think retrospective/prospective)

EBP, Evidence based nursing, evidence based practice, research, Research student, Uncategorized

2019: It is…….

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I’m not a New Year’s resolution person.  I used to be and then I realized that I wanted to hit the restart button more often than every 365 days.  So…my aim for this blog remains pretty much unchanged:   Make research processes and ideas understandable for every RN.

DifficultToBeSimpleAlthough “to be simple is difficult,” that’s my goal. Ljourneyet me know what’s difficult for you in research, because it probably is for others as well.  Let’s work on the difficult together so that you can use the BEST Evidence in your practice.

The 2019 journey begins today, and tomorrow, and the tomorrows after that!

FOR MORE: Go to PubMed. Search for a topic of interest. Send me the article & we’ll critique together.

Writing

Trick-or-Treater OR Trick or Treater?

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Communication is critical to effective dissemination of findings. Enjoy this bit of communication know how!

(I have no conflict of interest related to this blogger or the writing service promoted at its end.)

Grammar Party

trick or treat photo I don’t care about your stupid mask, lady. Put the candy in the bag.

How do you spell the name of those adorable (menacing) little children (vagrants) who knock on your door asking for (demanding) candy on Halloween night? Is it “trick-or-treaters” or “trick or treaters”? Hyphens or no hyphens?

The answer is: hyphens. The correct way to spell it is “trick-or-treater.”

But what about “trick or treat,” you say? Hyphens or no hyphens there? This one is a bit more complicated.

Let’s look at the two ways you can use “trick or treat,” as a verb and as a noun.

Verb: Sally dressed up as an amoeba to trick-or-treat.

Noun: As Sally dragged her candy sack home, she thought the trick or treat was successful.

When I wrote “trick-or-treat” as a verb, I used hyphens. Hyphens are always the answer when you use it as a verb. But…

View original post 66 more words

Case study, EBP, Evidence based nursing, evidence based practice, research, Research class

Fun Methods. Serious Content.

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Enjoy this 2+-minute, homegrown, YouTube video about our 7-year collaborative, EBP/research project recorded per request of a presenter at the Association for Nursing Staff Development conference.  (I admit it’s intimidating to watch myself.)

Check out the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8KUIt_Uq9k. fun frog

Key points from our efforts:  EBP/research learning should be fun.  Content, serious!  

The related publication that records some of our fun efforts and the full collaborative picture: Highfield, M.E.F., Collier, A., Collins, M., & Crowley, M. (2016). Partnering to promote evidence-based practice in a community hospital: Implications for nursing professional development specialists, Journal of Nursing Staff Development, 32(3):130-6. doi: 10.1097/NND.0000000000000227.

DNP, EBP, Evidence based nursing, evidence based practice, PhD

DNP vs. PhD: If the shoe fits….

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For RNs wanting to pursue a doctorate, it is important to pick a degree that Glass slipperbest matches your anticipated  career path.   The shortest simplest explanation of the difference in these degrees is probably:

  1. PhD – If you want to be a nurse scientist & teach in a university & conduct  nursing research. 
  2. DNP – If you want to be an advanced practice nurse, who primarily uses research in leadership, QI, patient care, etc. along with measuring project outcomes.

An excellent, free full-text, critique can be found at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4547057/  

Of course, some DNPs teach in universities, particularly in DNP programs.  PhDs may otherwise be better prepared for faculty roles.  I encourage you to look carefully at the curriculum at the school where you hope to study and expectations of a university where you hope to teach.  Speak with faculty,  & choose wisely.

Clinical practice guidelines, Evidence based nursing, evidence based practice, reading research, research, Research class

It’s Up to you: Accept the Status Quo or Challenge it

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Yes.  Change can be painful.question

Yes. It is easier to do things the way we’ve always done them (and been seemingly successful).

Yet, most of us want to work more efficiently or improve our own or patients’ health.Tension

 So, there you have the problem: a tension between status quo and change. Perhaps taking the easy status quo is why ‘everyday nurses’ don’t read research.

Ralph (2017) writes encountering 3 common mindsets that keep nurses stuck in the rut of refusing to examine new research:

  1. I’m not a researcher.
  2. I don’t value research.
  3. I don’t have time to read research.

But, he argues, you have a choice: you can go with the status quo or challenge it (Ralph).  And (admit it), haven’t we all found that the status quo sometimes doesn’t work well so that we end up

  • choosing a “work around,” or
  • ignoring/avoiding the problem or
  • leaving the problem for someone else or
  • ….[well….,you pick an action.]

TensionHow to begin solving the problem of not reading research? Think of a super-interesting topic to you and make a quick trip to PubMed.com. Check out a few relevant abstracts and ask your librarian to get the articles for you. Read them in the nurses’ lounge so others can, too.

Let me know how your challenge to the status quo works out.

Bibliography: Fulltext available for download through https://www.researchgate.net/ of  Ralph, N. (2017 April). Editorial: Engaging with research & evidence is a nursing priority so why are ‘everyday’ nurses not reading the literature, ACORN 30(3):3-5. doi: 10.26550/303/3.5

Making research accessible to RNs

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