A Process of Decision Making by Caregivers of Family Members With Heart Failure

1) What is the purpose of this research?

2) What is the research question (or questions)? This may be implicit or explicit.

3) When reviewing research articles, most authors describe the design of the study. Did the authors describe the design of this study? If so, give a description.

4) What characteristics does this study possess that are qualitative in nature? Review Chapter 2.

5) Is this study retrospective or prospective? Explain your answer.

6) What is the evidence that this journal is peer-reviewed? Does the journal have an editorial board? (Look for the journal%uFFFDs website to discover this information)

7) Is there evidence of any conflict of interest that might introduce bias into the way the study is designed, or the way the results are viewed? Do the authors have any potential financial gain from the results of this study?

8)Describe the population for this study.

9) How was the sample selected? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this sampling strategy?

10) Were the subjects in this study vulnerable? Were there any risks for them as the result of participation in the research study?

11) Are there any HIPAA concerns that are evident in this study?

12) What methods were put in place to ensure that the subjects were giving true informed consent?

13) What was the setting for the study?

14) Was the sample adequate for the research design that was selected?