Data Collection

Data Collection: Research

Demographic Data

Initially, data collected will be demographic in nature. Age, diagnosis, socioeconomic, and marital status will be obtained. This will first allow researchers to gauge whether or not factors other than gender will affect the outcomes of this group. This is important as previous research on the subject suggested that women may not attend CR as much as men due to their homemaker status, and not wanting to take away from their families (Dunlay et al., 2009).

Physiological Data

Next, physiologic data will be obtained. The data that will be obtained for this study is lipid profiles, blood pressure, cardiac output, HbA1C, and weight. Physiologic data is critical to this study, as it is measuring the outcomes of a health-related intervention, and because this can be used to directly impact evidence-based practice (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). Due to specificity of these measurements, researchers will be trained at each site on how to properly obtain the measurements, and ensure that they are correct and consistent. All equipment used will be tested prior to ensure that it is working properly. These collection methods, when done correctly, have the advantage of being specific, sensitive, and precise (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). This data will be collected continuously throughout the study, some more often than others. Measurements like blood pressures can be taken multiple times a session, whereas weight may be taken weekly to monthly, and measurements like HbA1C will be taken generally every 3 months, but can be taken more frequently if needed (Lewis et al., 2014).

Additional Data

QoL, and physical activity will be measured intermittently throughout the study. QoL will be measured via survey and self-report. Physical activity will be measured via observation and self-report. Additionally, physical activity levels can be indicated by improvements in the previously mentioned physiologic measurements, as exercise is known to improve these indicators (Lewis et al., 2014). Self-report is not always a reliable source of data as participants in the research may feel the need to impress the researchers, for fear of being looked down on if they are not reporting what they anticipate the researcher wants to hear (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). In addition to self-report, observation and survey techniques will be implemented in order to ensure that the data is accurate and reliable.
The physiologic, QoL, and physical activity data will then be measured in follow ups after the CR program is complete. It is one thing to see improvement immediately during the intervention, but it is important to understand if these improvements are long term. All of these measurements are consistent with a quantitative methodology (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). These follow-ups ideally will occur 1-year post, and 5 years post CR, as done in onther studies (Midence et al., 2016). Although measuring QoL sounds better suited to a qualitative study, measuring and quantifying the patient reports can be done in quantitative research. It is important to measure QoL as healthcare professionals, specifically nurses, know that health is not just physiological improvements, it is a holistic experience for patients, and very important to understand (Lewis et al., 2014).

Rigour

Rigour is critical to any quality research study (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). In quantitative research rigour is determined by the validity and reliability of the instruments used to measure the data (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). To ensure that a rigorous process is achieved and maintained throughout this study several steps and safe-guards will be put in place. First, by limiting the number of researchers involved in the collection of the physiologic data will ensure that the results are reliable. Having designated researchers that are trained in the collection of this data, limits the possibility of widely varying results, it ensures consistency and accuracy (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). It will also be important to have designated equipment for the measurements. Equipment will constantly be tested for reliability, that is ensuring that it is consistently, accurately, and precisely measuring its intended factor, scales for weight, and blood pressure cuffs for accurate blood pressure readings (LoBiondo-Wood, & Haber, 2013). Once reliability is established then the validity of the equipment can also be established.