Data Analysis, Article Writing Example

In doing a data analysis, both descriptive and inferential statistics employ. Descriptive statistics includes statistical procedures used to describe the population of study. While the data could come from a sample or a population, the results aim at organize and describing the data (Jaykaran, Deepak, Preeti & Kantharia, 2011). The study of interest study examined the impact of bar-coded medication administration system (BCMA) on the ability of nurses to give medications, perceptions of medication errors, and the level of satisfaction of nurses on the medication administration process.

Descriptive statistical results reported

The participants of the BCMA study constituted of a sample of 33 respondents, n=33, and a control group that comprised of 26 respondents, n= 26. The variables of study included the gender, age, licensure, and the years of experience.  Of the 33 respondents, 6% comprised of male respondents, 94% female respondents, and there was a one missing questionnaire.  The respondents comprised of the age group, classified as M (SD) with one missing questionnaire. The licensure characteristic classified as RN n (%), LPN n (%), comprised of 81% and 19% respectively with 2 missing questionnaires.  The respondents comprised of the years of experience, classified as M (SD), apart from one missing questionnaire.

Of the 26 respondents of the control group, 15% comprised of male respondents, 85% female respondents, with 13 missing questionnaire.  The control group respondents comprised of the age group, classified as M (SD) with 18 missing questionnaire. The licensure characteristic of the control group classified as RN n (%), LPN n (%), comprised of 75% and 25% respectively with 14 missing questionnaires.  The respondents comprised of the years of experience, classified as M (SD), apart from the13 missing questionnaires.

Inferential statistical results reported

There was a significant difference between the age and years of experience in the experimental and control groups. The control group subjects were older and with more experience, thus describing the differences in satisfaction between the two groups.

The significant amounts of missing data, in the control group results limited the ability to draw inferences of the demographic similarities and differences in the two groups. However, inductions from the experimental group (p < .000) indicated a decrease in the overall satisfaction with medication process upon the implementation of the BCMA system (p = .001). Therefore, implementation of BCMA systems has negative impact on the attitudes of nurses on the medication administration process. It makes work processes more difficult.

The control group was equally less satisfied with overall medication administration process, t (44) = 3.33, p = .002. They felt that the process of using computerized systems was less timely.

In conclusion, the inferences are that there was a decrease in satisfaction with the overall medication administration process following implementation of the BCMA, as verified by the paired t-test findings.

Reference

Jaykaran, S.,Deepak, Y., Preeti f. & Kantharia, N. (2011). Solanki, Paresh. Quality of reporting of descriptive and inferential statistics in negative studies published in Indian medical journals. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results, Vol. 2 Issue 1, p39-41. 3p.