Introduction
The article being critiqued is titled “The effect of emergency department crowding on the management of pain in older adults with hip fracture” by Hwang, Richardson, Sonuyi, and Morrison (2006).
Article Analysis
Background information
The researchers provide adequate background information on the topic. This background information mainly includes the unique environment of the emergency department and the reasons behind the crowding of the department. They argue that there is an increase in the number of patients aged 65 and above who have been admitted to the emergency department hence the major cause of crowding. Readers are able to grasp the main content of the research study.
Review of the literature
The researchers do not provide a distinct section of the literature review. Instead, they include the literature review as part of the background information. Some works of literature have also been reviewed in the discussion section to either support or oppose the results.
Discussion of methodology
The researchers identify the study design they used, the source of data, and the technique used in data collection. Most importantly, they identify their participants and the criteria they used to include and exclude the participants.
Specific data analysis
The researchers identify the data analysis techniques they used and the reasons behind the choice of the techniques. Indeed, the researchers used multiple data analysis techniques, each of which served a specific purpose.
Conclusion of the study
The conclusion of the study is logical and follows the discussion of the results. In conclusion, the researchers summarize their findings and highlight the significance of the study to the nursing practice.
Reflection
From the analysis of the five areas, I can say that the evidence presented supports the conclusion made by Hwang et al. (2006). Specifically, the researchers found that crowing in the emergency department hinders and delays the administration of analgesics. It also leads to inappropriate analgesic administration; hence it affects the management of pain among older patients in the emergency department. This conclusion is arrived at following the data analysis and results from the analysis, which supports the conclusion.
One major ethical issue arose from the study. Specifically, the researchers needed to collect the medical and health data of the patients that participated in the study. For this to happen, the researchers had to gain access to the health records of the patients. This is a very sensitive issue because health records are confidential and should only be used by professionals who provide direct care to patients. Thus, the researchers had to obtain permission from the institutional review board to access the patients’ health records (Hwang et al., 2006).
The study was purely quantitative in nature. Qualitative research would also have been appropriate in a similar situation. Specifically, a qualitative study would entail in-depth interviews with patients as well as the medical personnel working in the emergency department to determine how crowing in the department affects pain management. A qualitative study would enable the researchers to go beyond collecting numbers and instead gain a deep understanding of the problem. The researchers would have understood the problem from the point of view of the patients and the medical staff. Such information is impossible to obtain through quantitative research, yet it is important for any study.
Reference List
Hwang, U., Richardson, L., Sonuyi, T., & Morrison, S. (2006). The effect of emergency department crowding on the management of pain in older adults with hip fracture. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 54, 270-275.