Healthcare Action Research
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OlaNike’ Akeredolu
October 15, 2015
DHA8011
Assignment Unit 3
Professor Solomon
Capella University
Healthcare Action Research
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Healthcare action research focuses on the use of research for improving
practices in healthcare situations (Koshy & Waterman, 2011). Furthermore, action
researcher focuses offers professionals a way to evaluate and investigate their own
work (Vallenga, Grypdonck, Hoogwerf, & Tan, 2009). I arrived at this topic selection
because I think it is important that practitioners in the Healthcare industry understand
how well or not well they are performing in their field. Additionally, the use of action
research can give professionals the ability to provide better services and offer better
patient care. In order to arrive at the results one must first be able to properly conduct
action research. According to Vallenga, Grypdonck, Hoogwerf, & Tan, (2009) there are
four types of action research that can be used including experimental, organizational,
professionalizing, and empowering. Each action research is also tied to seven different
distinguishing criteria such as educative base, individuals in groups, problem focus,
change intervention, improvement and involvement, cyclic processes, and research
relationship with degree collaboration. The process of action research focuses on the
plan of the research, action taking, making observations, and reflecting on the data
gathered. Once the first process is completed a revised plan to the problem is given
and again goes through the action, observations, and reflection stage until what has
been causing the problem is properly identified (O,Brein, 1998).
The basis for addressing the topic of action research is that it has been used as a
research approach, for example it was used in the field of neurology by applying the
research approach to situations involving epilepsy, elderly rehabilitation, and intellectual
Healthcare Action Research
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disability, but I do not think that it is applied as often as it should, and as a result
problems and mistakes may occurring within the healthcare industry (Vallenga,
Grypdonck, Hoogwerf, & Tan, 2009). When applied action research allowed for a
change in attitudes and technical knowledge between the researchers and the
participants, which allowed for improved services and care. If one of the goals of a
healthcare professional is to provide the best quality of care for a patient then I believe
that action research should be incorporated and practiced by healthcare professionals.
The problem in the healthcare industry is the action research is not applied enough and
may be resulting in a decrease in care throughout the industry. Action research zeros in
directly on a specific problem or issues surrounding one person or an organization as a
whole. The investigation into the problem takes a close look at the problem itself,
opposed to generalizations. This allows for individuals that have specific concerns or
problems a way to correct such issues (Annenberg, 2015). In the healthcare industry
since no body is perfect mistakes may occur, but the use of action research may be
able to eliminate or reduce those mistakes from occurring if utilized more in
organizations and at an individual level.
The process for arriving at healthcare action research was based on the literature
review. There has been many cases and studies of action research in the healthcare
industry, but what I found interesting was the amount of articles that did not study
organizations lacking action research. Upon reviewing the articles of action research
that all inform the reader on what action research it, why it is important, and reference
case studies in which successful action research has added value and benefits for
professional and patients, but very few articles addressed the issue of not applying
Healthcare Action Research
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action research in the industry. The consequences of not applying action research may
be subjective and unknown, thus this is how I arrived at the topic selection of Healthcare
Action Research. I think a proper study should focus on organizations that consistently
apply action research against organizations who do not apply action research. Some
data that could be gathered on the two organizations would be quality of care, errors
made, length of stay for same procedures, and number of complaints filed against each
organization. This would help seek solutions to my interest on lack of information on
organizations who do not use action research, and will also support the benefits of
action research found throughout the literature review.
Healthcare Action Research
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References
Annenberg. (2015). TFL: About This Workshop. Retrieved from
http://www.learner.org/workshops/tfl/about/action_research.html
Koshy, E., & Waterman, H. (2011). Action Research in Healthcare. Retrieved from
https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/action-research-inhealthcare/book233457#description
O’Brein. (1998). Overview of Action Research Methodology. Retrieved from
http://web.net/robrien/papers/arfinal.html
Vallenga, D., Grypdonk, M., Hoogwerf, L., & Tan, F. (2009). Action research: what, why
and how ? Retrieved from http://www.actaneurologica.be/acta/download/20092/02-Vallenga%20et%20al.pdf
