METHODS OF ACQURING KNOWLEDGE

INTRODUCTION:
A well-developed and reliable body of knowledge is a foundation for any profession.
This most sought-after knowledge can be acquired from highly structured as well as
loosely arranged processes
Nursing profession largely believe in development of knowledge from highly
structured methods, such as logical reasoning, problem solving, and scientific
method research

DEFINITION OF KNOWLEDGE:

 Knowledge is the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained

through experience or association

 Knowledge is a familiarity, awareness, or understanding of someone or

something, such as facts, information, descriptions, or skills, which is acquired
through experience or education by perceiving, discovering, or learning.

METHODS
The methods of acquiring knowledge in Nursing may be classified under two broad
categories,
1. Unstructured method
2. Structured method

UNSTRUCTURED METHODS

 TRADITION: traditional knowledge mainly learnt from books, journals, by

lecture, by observing practice of others. Much traditional practice takes the
form of rituals

 AUTHORITY: The people with higher length of experience in a discipline and

with virtue of their position are believed to be sound source of knowledge and
understanding
  INSTITUTION: It is known as information obtain through six sense without
conscious thinking but in this rationalizing the information may not be obtained

 EXPERIENCE: Nurses base their practices in great part on their own

experience and to a lesser extent on the experience of others. Experience is a
very useful way of gaining knowledge.

 TRAIL AND ERROR: it is the most common approach of gaining knowledge.

In this approach, alternatives are tried until a solution to a problem is found.

STRUCTURED METHODS

 LOGICAL REASONING: Reasoning is a mental processing of ideas to solve

problems. Logical reasoning, as a method of knowing, combine experience,
intellectual faculties and formal system of thought.

 ASSEMBLED INFORMATION: In making clinical decision, health

professionals also rely on information that has been assembled for variety of
purpose. Regularly assembled data in hospital as census and in community as
population census services as good source of much needed information health
care professionals.

 PROBLEM SOLVING: Nurses encounter several problems in their routine,

when they use problem solving process to solve particular problem, they My
use the same intervention to solve the same problem in future. Problem
solving for one situation contributes to the nurse’s knowledge for problem
solving in other similar situations.

 SCIENTIFIC METHOD/ RESEARCH: Research conducted within the

disciplined format is the most sophisticated method of acquiring knowledge
that human developed.
 PROBLEM SOLVING METHOD

INTRODUCTION
In this approach, possible solutions are carefully evaluated and one of them chosen
for implementation. The solutions carefully monitored over time to ensure initial and
continued effectivity of solution. The nurse didn’t discard other solutions, but hold
them in reserve in the event that the first solution is not effective other choice can be
used.

DEFINITION

 “Problem solving may be a formal application of problem identification,

hypothesis formulating, observation, analysis and conclusion”

 “Problem solving approach is meaningful, development, sequential, based on

the discovery of generalization”

 “Research essentially is problem solving process, a systematic, intensive

study, directed towards full scientific knowledge of the subject studies”

 “The process of working through details of a problem to obtain a solution”

PROCESS SOLVING PROCESS STEPS

1. PROBLEM DEFINITION
2. PROBLEM ANALYSIS
3. GENERATING POSSIBLE SOLUTION
4. ANALYZING THE SOLUTION
5. SELECTING THE BEST SOLUTION
6. IMPLEMENTING THE SOLUTION
7. EVALUATION

ADVANTAGE OF PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS

 This method provides a focused procedure for the problem-solving group
 It ensures consistency, as everyone understands the approach to be used.
  By using data, it helps eliminating bias preconceptions, leading to greater
objectivity.
 It helps to remove division and encourage collaborative working.
 It provides a justifiable solution.
 It makes the decision-making process easier.

STEP 1: DEFINE THE PROBLEM

Step one is about diagnosing the problem- the context, background and symptoms
of the issue. Once the group has clear grasp of what the problem is, they investigate
the wider symptoms to discover the implications of the problem, who is affected, and
how urgent it is to resolve the symptoms.
At this stage group will use techniques such as:
 Brainstorming
 Interviewing
 Questionnaires
As this step continues, the problem-solving group will constantly revise the definition
of problem. As more symptoms are found, it clarifies what is the real problem is.

STEP 2: PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Once all the symptoms are found and the problem diagnosed and an initial definition
agreed, the problem-solving group begins to explore what has caused the problem.
In this step the group will use tools such as:
 Fishbone diagrams
 Pareto analysis
 Affinity diagrams
These techniques help collect the information in a structured way and focus in
underlying cause of the problem.
At this stage, the group may return to the step one to revise the definition of the
problem.

STEP 3: GENERATING POSSIBLE SOLUTION

When the real problem is discovered, its contributing factors should be investigated.
At this stage, focus must be on identifying and generation possible solution for the
problem. Each potential idea for solution of a problem must be considered without
discarding it through value judgement; each idea should be treated as new idea.
STEP 4: ANALYZING THE SOLUTION
In this section of problem-solving process, various factors about each of the
potential solutions are investigated, where all the positive and negative aspects of
each solution are analyzed.

STEP 5: SELECTION THE BEST SOLUTION

At this stage, an attempt is made to compare the available solutions, and eventually
the best solution is selected based on the care full judgement.

STEP 6: IMPLIMENTING THE SOLUTION

The final step of the problem-solving process is to practically solve the problem by
implementing the selected solution.

STEP 7: EVALUATION
 This is the final stage of problem-solving process where after implementation
of the most potential, an evaluation is made to judge the effectiveness of the
solution in resolving problem. This stage also helps in redefine the problem
and revise the problem-solving process in case the initial solution fails to
manage the problem effectively.
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
Scientific method is a synthesis of a reason and observation. It finds out some order
in which things are related together. The conclusion which are arrived at by the
scientific method have an objective nature.
A scientific method is the way in which one can test opinions, impressions, or
guesses by examining the available guidance both for and against them.

DEFINITION
 “Scientific method is an objective, logical and a systematic method aimed at
discovering facts”
 “The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore
observation that is used to explore observation and answer questions.”

BASIC CONCEPTS
Scientific methods have five basic concepts of
 It relies on empirical evidence.
 It utilization relevant concepts.
 It is committed to only objective consideration.
 It results in probabilistic predictions
 Testing the conclusion through replication.

STEPS OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS

The steps of scientific methods depend on the type of the study, which follow either
a qualitative or quantitative approach. The main steps are as follows:
 Selecting the topic and identifying the problem
 Defining the objectives of the study
 Reviewing the literature from theory and other related studies.
 Defining concepts and variable to be studied
 Stating hypothesis about expected observations to be studied
 Identifying assumptions and implications
 Determining the ethical implication of proposed study
 Describing the research design and methods of data collection
 Defining study population and sample
 Planning the data analysis and discussion
 Collecting data from subjects
 Analyzing and interpreting data
  Communicating findings of the study

LIMITATION OF SCIENTIFIC METHODS

There are some limitations in applying scientific approaches to nursing problems,
some of which are listed below:

 Moral or ethical problem: Most nursing studies would require humans as the
subject of their research. The constraint of involving humans, which is
essential for observing human behavior for experimentation, is one such
ethical problem. Thus, reliable scientific data cannot always be collected
 Human complexity: Human behavior is complicated, subtle, and varied.
Therefore, it is very difficult to categorize human behavior. In addition, when
human behavior is studied and analyzed by other human being, the personal
bias comes into the picture and distort the analytical facts
 Measurement problem: Different aspects of human behavior are
psychological in nature, which cannot be accurately measured. Human
behavior is not uniform, certain, or predictable. All the people do not behave in
the same way in similar circumstances. Therefore, with human as subjects,
measurements become challenge.
 External variable control problems: Scientific studies conducted on humans
may have a limitation of weak or no control over external variables in scientific
activity.
 REFERENCE
 Denise F. Polit, nursing research principles and methods, Lippincott, New
York, sixth edition, page no: 8-14
 Suresh k Sharma, nursing research and statistics, Elsevier, second edition,
page no- 4-10
 BT Basavanthappa, nursing research, jaypee publication, second edition,
page no: 8-17
 https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-fair/steps-of-the-
scientific-method
 https://www.slideshare.net/drjayeshpatidar/problem-solving-61184805