Populations and Ethical Considerations
Westania Durin
West Coast University
NURS 692B Culminating Experience II
Dr. Amy Salgado
January 19, 2023
Key Populations and Ethical Considerations
Research Population
The NCLEX-RN exam is one of the most preferred licensure exams by nurses hoping to explore their options for working in the US. Nursing students from diverse backgrounds are also subjected to the exam for licensure purposes. This study incorporates the Hispanic NCLEX-RN exam takers in the country. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) (n.d.), data from the 2020 census reveals an increasing population trajectory for people of Hispanic/Latino descent. The development has also led to a 48.9% rise in the baccalaureate program enrollment, with a 75.6% growth in master’s program enrollment. However, as the numbers continue to rise, the failure rates in the NCLEX-RN exam have become a cause of concern. According to the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (n.d.), data collected between 2016 and 2019 show that the licensure rates for the Hispanic group stood at 72% for females and 77% for men in 2016, the second least among those seeking licensure. A similar trend is also seen in the following years. Emphasis on first time pass rates in this exam threatens to ruin the test takers’ potential for enrollment and diversity (Hanover Research, 2020). Therefore, this study uncovers more about the group to paint a better picture that will help generate solutions to address the gap.
The researcher or the main investigator is the key personnel driving the process. the main mandate is to integrate the research process to help recognize trends in the data generated, data interpretation, analysis, and locating appropriate literature for the study. Additionally, the researcher should safeguard the subjects from ethical issues and address them as they arise. Overall, the researcher is charged with maintaining and upholding the highest ethical and moral standards in conducting the research.
Ethical Concerns
Recruitment of subjects is one of the most crucial stages in a research process. The researcher must consider the ethical routines acceptable by the relevant Institutional Review Board (IRB). The key ethical considerations include privacy, coercion, accurate descriptions, unbiased selection, and avoiding misconceptions. In privacy, the researcher must address any concerns the subject may feel that their privacy is compromised. The lack of coercion means that the respondents should not be under undue influence to participate in a research study. The researcher should also ensure that the data shared by the respondents is clearly and accurately presented (Iowa State University, 2016). Additionally, the data shared with the subjects should be unbiased and not misleading. Moreover, misconceptions about participation in a study should be addressed as well.
To address the concerns during the recruitment process, the researcher adopts approaches to protecting the subjects and the data generated. For instance, careful wording can help prevent misconceptions about the subjects, such as using the word “research subject” instead of individual names. The same approach can also help avoid biased information in which the researcher avoids overstating specific study aspects. To ensure accuracy in presenting data, the researcher should avoid using scientific jargon to make the information understandable and clear to the subjects. Furthermore, the subjects should only participate after signing informed consent and should be at liberty to disengage from the study should they wish to. Privacy concerns should be ensured by ensuring that the physical location and reference to the subjects lead to their identification.
Data Collection and Intervention Activities Ethics
Data collection/intervention activities can be a source of ethical concerns in research. Consent is fundamental to engagement with the research subjects (Facca et al., 2020). However, participants can fail to give consent or withdraw in the course of the process. This means that the researcher may fail to obtain the information needed to make conclusions about the study. The researcher should ensure that informed consent is obtained. The purpose of the exercise should be outlined, and all concerns arising from the study should be clarified. This will also reduce unnecessary withdrawals from the study. Protecting or safeguarding data collected can also be a cause of concern. According to Facca et al. (2020), the task can be challenging and thus should be taken seriously to avoid exposing the data to unauthorized personnel. No data with personal information will be left unattended as a measure to address this gap. Additionally, no unauthorized personnel will be allowed to handle anything relating to the study, and data collection materials will be stored in a secure and locked location.
Data Processing
Controlling access to research data and confidential material is necessary to safeguard the confidentiality and privacy of the subjects. No material relating to the process should be left unattended during data collection. The data should also not be shared with people outside the confines of the research process. For safety purposes, the data should be kept secure and locked in a location not prone to a security breach (North Jersey Health Collaborative, n.d.). This ensures that the materials and data contained in them do not land in unintended hands.
Conflict of Interest
Conflict of interest is deemed to occur when a researcher’s interests interfere with the intent of conducting the exercise or study motives. It can be perceived, actual, or even potential factors leading to negative outcomes. This implies that other interested parties can perceive the conflict already existing or possibly developing during the study. The researcher wished to reiterate that the study bears no actual, potential, or foreseeable conflict of interest.
References
American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). (n.d.). Data spotlight: Trends in Hispanic/Latino students in U.S nursing programs. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Retrieved from https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/News/View/ArticleId/25083/data-spotlight-october-2021-trends-in-hispanic-latino-students-nursing-programs-1
Facca, D., Smith, M. J., Shelley, J., Lizotte, D., & Donelle, L. (2020). Exploring the ethical issues in research using Digital Data Collection Strategies with minors: A scoping review. PLOS ONE, 15(8), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237875
Hanover Research. (2020). Research brief nclex-RN pass rates as a measure … – nightingale college. nightingale.edu. Retrieved from https://nightingale.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Research-Brief-NCLEX-Pass-Rates-Nightingale-College-compressed-2.pdf
Iowa State University. (2016). Recruitment of research participants – Iowa State University. compliance.iastate.edu. Retrieved from https://www.compliance.iastate.edu/sites/default/files/imported/irb/guide/docs/Recruitment%20of%20Research%20Participants.pdf
North Jersey Health Collaborative. (n.d.). Ethical considerations in Data Collection – njhealthmatters.org. njhealthmatters.org. Retrieved from https://www.njhealthmatters.org/content/sites/njhc/Ethical_Considerations_in_Data_Collection.pdf
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. (n.d.). Nursing licensure rates – includes all test takers fy nursing … – UTRGV. utrgv.edu. Retrieved from https://www.utrgv.edu/sair/student-achievement/nclex-pass-rates.pdf