Chapter III: Methodology
This chapter describes the methods and procedures used in this study to determine the correlation between the perception of nurses about safety and risk management at XYZ Hospital and prevalence of needle-stick injuries. The focus of this chapter includes research design, target population, sample and sampling procedures, research instruments, data collection process, and the procedures for data analysis. These elements are discussed in further detail below.
In order to conduct the survey, it is important that various critical research methods and procedures such as use of questionnaires, sampling, and tools of analysis such as SPSS software. The survey questions that are asked include whether the respondents are aware or have been targets of needle-stick injuries, the causes of needle-stick injuries, healthy hazards of needle-stick injuries, the process undertaken to address needle-stick injuries among many others.
A total of 130 nursing personnel were randomly selected for this study. All of the study subjects were employees who were working at different units of Hospital XYZ in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Varying age groups, years of professional experience as nurses, years of experience handling needles among others were factored in during the subject selection process. All the participants in the survey had been assured of confidentiality and the protection of their identity and as such, no personal, self-identifying information was included in the survey. It was also ensured that each participant’s individual consent was sought and obtained prior to data collation. To further ensure the validity of the data collated, it was ensured that none of the participants was either coerced or enticed.
Instrumentation
In administering the survey, a range of assessment questions utilized in the questionnaire that was designed for this study (Appendix ). The questionnaire was designed in such a way as to help in the identification and eventual analysis of the various risks that nurses to as a result of needle-stick injuries. A review of injuries documentation, employee system survey, and situation analysis was put into consideration to enable participants provide the nest answers to the survey questions. Respondents to the survey were required to send copies of completed questionnaires, via email, to respondents using the UW-Stout Qualtrics survey software.
Data Collection Procedures
The targeted population for this study is the nurses; this group is very critical to this study due to the fact that the study will be investigating Risk Management and Nurses’ perception related to needle-stick injuries in relation to hospital safety in hospitals. 130 responses were obtained via the questionnaire. The survey questions that were asked include whether the patients are aware or have been targets of needle-stick injuries, the causes of needle-stick injuries, healthy hazards of needle-stick injuries, the process undertaken to address needle-stick injuries among others. This study applied simple sampling techniques. This type of sampling allows an equal chance for each individual to be randomized into the study as participants of the questionnaire. This type of sampling technique was selected due to the fact that the study dealt with a larger population. With the large population, it is difficult for individuals to be picked more than once even though each individual picked always has an equal chance of being picked. Therefore, relevant to argue that simple sample technique is very appropriate for this study due to the fact that it saves time and it is easy to undertake. Using simple random sampling technique also has an impact on improving the quality of results obtained. This is because the results that are always obtained using simple random sampling that is undertaken using larger population size is always considered to be highly accurate. A sample size of 130 respondents was used in this study. This allowed for collection of enough primary data.
Employee Survey
The survey aims to ascertain the various causes of needle related injuries, the ramification of these injuries, and measures that can be put in place to address needle -related injuries. For this survey, a mixed questionnaire format was used in which there was a blend of both open-ended and closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions have specific, structured options of answers from which respondents are expected to pick their best responses to specific questions. On the other hand, in open-ended questions, respondents have the lee way to express their views or thoughts about any particular questions
Review of Available Records
In the course of this research, access to different records of the worksite to establish the extent to which nurses were susceptible to needle related injuries, was granted. The researcher gained access to injury records at Hospital XYZ, KSA for the last two years. Also, different journals and other scientific publications were used to gain more insights into the risks that both patients and nurses are exposed to as a result of needle-stick related injuries. The internet also played an important role in sourcing information which helped to form a baseline on which the analysis of the information obtained from this study was based.
Data Analysis and Reporting
In order to put into perspective the various data collected, UW-Stout Qualtrics survey software and SPSS statistical software was used to analyze the data collated. Injury analysis was conducted through review of various injuries records for the past two years. The injury analysis was conducted with the aim of ensuring that the potential causes of needle-related injuries are addressed in hospital environments. The analysis aims to determine how various factors such as level of training, experience, work environment, and personal attributes influences the nurses susceptibility to needle related injuries in hospital settings. After the analysis were done several recommendations on how to reduce occurrence of needle related injuries was discussed in details. Before the analysis of the data the data has to be validated to ensure that they are able to meet the requirements in that all the questionnaires were answered. Moreover, the data is also coded both for open ended questions and closed questions to ensure that analysis of the data is possible. Coding the data means that each and every response is awarded a value to ensure that they can be analyzed using UW-Stout Qualtrics survey software and SPSS software. The findings will then be presented in form of tables, pie charts, pareto charts and bar graphs. The analysis of the data has been presented in chapter four.
