Is this a research or an audit ?

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Is this a research or an audit ?

Machine "A" is better then machine "B" in terms of time & pain.

We are going to extract the following details:

Start and completion time of both machines (is routinely documented in pt notes)

Pain score (is routinely documented in pts notes)

We will compare the data to see if machine A took less time and was less painful for pts then machine B.

allnurses Guide

XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN

1 Article; 3,017 Posts

Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Paris it could be either, but if both machines are in use anyway and you are trying to see which is most effective then I would lean towards audit. IF you have a rep and company who are trying to get you to prove that thier machine is better on a larger scale then maybe research.

They way I understand an audit would be to look at your own practice with service development / quality / clinical governance as a driver.

Definitions:

research

noun

a detailed study of a subject, especially in order to discover (new) information or reach a (new) understanding:

scientific/medical research

a research student/assistant/laboratory

They are carrying out/conducting/doing some fascinating research into/on the language of dolphins.

[

audit (plural audits)

  1. An examination in general; a judicial examination.
  2. An independent review and examination of records and activities to assess the adequacy of system controls, to ensure compliance with established policies and operational procedures, and to recommend necessary changes in controls, policies, or procedures

RGN1

1,700 Posts

Specializes in med/surg.

i would have said research because you're trying to find out which machine is better - & then I presume use the better one once your "research" is completed.

I'm currently at this very moment with an external auditor at my husbands business because I am their quality manager - not wearing my nursing hat until later today! I carry out the internal audits & as I see it doing the sort of comaparison you're doing would not come under auditing because that entails checking that procedures etc are being followed & finding out if there are problems with the system that need resolving.

Just my take on it though!

Fonenurse

493 Posts

Specializes in Multiple.

the main difference between research and audit is that the research question is "are we working to the best practice/standards?", whereas the audit question is "are we carrying out our work to the laid down standards?".

research is a systematic investigation which aims to generate new knowledge - it may be qualitative or quantitative in approach.

audit is a peer review of health care to check on/ improve services.

research may involve an experimental approach, but clinical audit never involves an experimental approach.

research may involve a new treatment, but clinical audit never involves a new treatment.

research may involve specially arranged interviews, focus groups, interventions, clinical assessments or postal communications, clinical audit does not involve any of these processes.

research is usually generisable and involves strict selection criteria for participant recruitment,clinical audit is not generisable and does not involve strict selection criteria.

research is often carried out by those outside of the local service, whereas clinical audit is usually conducted by those providing the service.

allnurses Guide

XB9S, BSN, MSN, EdD, RN, APN

1 Article; 3,017 Posts

Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.
the main difference between research and audit is that the research question is "are we working to the best practice/standards?", whereas the audit question is "are we carrying out our work to the laid down standards?".

research is a systematic investigation which aims to generate new knowledge - it may be qualitative or quantitative in approach.

audit is a peer review of health care to check on/ improve services.

research may involve an experimental approach, but clinical audit never involves an experimental approach.

research may involve a new treatment, but clinical audit never involves a new treatment.

research may involve specially arranged interviews, focus groups, interventions, clinical assessments or postal communications, clinical audit does not involve any of these processes.

research is usually generisable and involves strict selection criteria for participant recruitment,clinical audit is not generisable and does not involve strict selection criteria.

research is often carried out by those outside of the local service, whereas clinical audit is usually conducted by those providing the service.

that is fantastic info, well done forens.

jill48, ASN, RN

612 Posts

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

i am not to proud to admit that this thread is wayyyyy over my head. :uhoh3:

nightmare, RN

1 Article; 1,297 Posts

Specializes in Nursing Home ,Dementia Care,Neurology..
i am not to proud to admit that this thread is wayyyyy over my head. :uhoh3:

me too! the only auditing i do is counting drugs for ordering purposes!

Fonenurse

493 Posts

Specializes in Multiple.

OK, the simplified version is that audit is a way of measuring care against a set of defined and agreed standards.

Research is a way of finding out if something works, or how it works or if patients find it acceptable etc.

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