Purpose:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide you with assistance in obtaining appropriate current, supporting articles for your research topic that will be added to your Literature Matrix. The idea is to explain your procedure in obtaining these articles in such a manner that another individual could follow your “path” and come to the same results. This assignment will assist you in creation of your Chapter 2 of the research proposal is required to meet part of the graduate program level outcomes.
Task(s):
In this assignment, you will follow criterion 1-7 to discuss your process in obtaining your FIVE current, relevant, supporting articles for your research topic, discuss your Literature Review, and outline main components in the Literature Review Matrix. In a Microsoft Word document explain, in detail, each of the assignment criteria. Be sure to maintain APA 7th edition formatting for spacing, font type, and size.
Assignment Criteria:
1. Introduction:
a. Create an introduction paragraph and include all the main points to be found in chapter 2. Discuss your topic and the significance of the topic.
2. Article Eligibility:
a. Describe the inclusion and exclusion eligibility with a rationale for why these criteria were selected in the review.
b. Identify any specific restrictions such as date, language, population, etc. that were included or excluded as part of the eligibility criteria and provide a rationale for each.
(Example: Only articles that are peer-reviewed and published between 2019 and 2024 regarding the nurse faculty workload will be included. Any articles found outside of United States and not in the English language will be excluded). Do not include non-peer reviewed sources, wiki pages, webpages. Do not include more than 1 systematic review, scoping review, or meta-analysis. This is a scholarly paper and should include original research that is similar to your proposed study. The point is to show viability of your research idea or a gap in the literature. Include the highest level of publications available.
3. Database Sources:
a. Report all database sources used in your search and why they were chosen. (Example: Google Scholar, MEDLINE, EBSCO, ProQuest, etc.).
b. Report the date range of the reviewed literature search to show how current the information is. (Example: 2019-2024)
c. Document and report all search filters applied (if any) along with rationales for each. (Example: peer-reviewed, full-text, Article type, specific language, etc.)
4. Search Strategy:
a. The literature search strategy should be reported in a manner that allows easy replication by others and each step should be discussed in its entirety.
b. Provide the term(s) used and number of articles found using that criteria. If multiple searches with various combinations of terms used, provide detailed information of this as well.
(Example: A search in the ProQuest Central database with filters of: peer-reviewed published in the last 3 years with source type of scholarly journal, document type of article, in the English language with the terms of “nurse faculty” and “workload” anywhere in the article yielded 5,477 results. When added “in the United States” the search found 2,426 articles. When Nurse faculty changed to “undergraduate nurse faculty,” 636 results were found, etc.)
5. Screening Process:
a. Describe the full screening process for your final selection of the FIVE (5) scholarly articles you will provide in your literature matrix. How did you determine they were the most appropriate to support your research topic?
(Example: after review of the title and abstract 56 of the 636 were excluded as they did not pertain to associate of science undergraduate level; 32 were no considered as participants taught outside of the United States, 120 were removed due to discussing workload in a chapter of a textbook, etc.)
6. Article summaries
a. Summarize each of the five articles (approximately 3-5 paragraphs or 1 page double spaced each). Go back to your Week 2 and Week 3 article review materials for reference and include the main points of each research article.
6. Summary
a. Summarize the main points found in the paper (approximately 1-2 paragraphs in length.)
7. Literature Matrix:
a. Locate the Literature Matrix file and complete the table for each article you have chosen to include in the literature review. Do not leave any blanks and do not alter the form. Describe the theoretical or conceptual framework the researchers used. This form is a blueprint of the significance of the articles you have chosen.
My Week 2 post – You can use the 4 articles in the references and add a 5th one or replace the one you don’t find informational with your choice. (as long as they are 5 in total)
Menstrual Health and Hygiene
Menstrual hygiene encompasses the practices and products used to manage menstrual cycles safely and with dignity. It also involves education about the menstrual cycle, addressing menstrual disorders, and challenging cultural stigmas associated with menstruation.
This topic is critical as it directly impacts the health and well-being of individuals who menstruate. Poor menstrual hygiene can lead to infections, reproductive health issues, and negative mental health outcomes (Hennegan et al., 2019).
I chose menstrual hygiene due to its significant implications for health, social justice, and gender equality. Despite progress in public health, menstrual hygiene remains neglected in many regions, affecting health outcomes such as urinary tract infections and increased cervical cancer risk (Hennegan et al., 2019). Researching this topic is motivating because it intersects public health, education, gender studies, and human rights, offering opportunities to impact policy development, health outcomes, and create supportive environments for menstruators.
Benefit to Nursing Practice:
Researching menstrual hygiene will equip nurses with knowledge and skills for comprehensive patient care. Understanding best practices for menstrual hygiene management allows nurses to support individuals in managing their cycles effectively, reducing menstrual-related infections and complications (Hennegan et al., 2019). Nurses can also break down menstruation stigmas through education and a supportive healthcare environment.
Benefit to Nursing Education:
Incorporating menstrual hygiene into nursing curricula prepares future nurses for addressing this essential aspect of reproductive health. Educating nursing students on menstrual hygiene fosters cultural competence and empathy, ensuring they are well-prepared to support their patients’ menstrual health needs (Montgomery et al., 2016).
Benefit to the Nursing Profession:
Researching menstrual hygiene elevates the nursing profession’s role in public health advocacy. Nurses can influence policies ensuring access to menstrual hygiene products and education, contributing to gender equality and improving life quality for menstruators (Hennegan et al., 2019; Burgers & Alleman, 2019).
In conclusion, researching menstrual hygiene benefits nursing practice, education, and the profession by enhancing patient care and empowering nurses to advocate for health equity and social change, leading to significant health improvements and a more just society.
References
Burgers, C., & Alleman, B. (2019). The impact of menstrual hygiene management on schooling in low- and middle-income countries: A review of the evidence. Health Policy and Planning, 34(2), 139-149. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapol/czz003
Hennegan, J., Shannon, A. K., Rubli, J., Schwab, K. J., & Melendez-Torres, G. J. (2019). Women’s and girls’ experiences of menstruation in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and qualitative metasynthesis. PLOS Medicine, 16(5), e1002803. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002803
My Week 3 post:
Research Design Discussion
My choice of research proposal is Menstrual hygiene awareness. When preparing a proposal on menstrual hygiene education, choosing between qualitative and quantitative research designs is crucial as it shapes the study’s approach, data collection, analysis, and outcomes. A qualitative research design is particularly suited for this topic as it aims to explore and understand the experiences, perceptions, and motivations related to menstrual hygiene. Qualitative research provides a deeper understanding of the cultural, social, and personal factors influencing menstrual hygiene practices, which are essential for developing effective educational interventions (Yousefi et al., 2020).
Qualitative research questions might include: What are the personal and cultural perceptions of menstrual hygiene among the target population? How do individuals in different communities perceive the effectiveness of menstrual hygiene education programs? What challenges and barriers do women and girls face in maintaining menstrual hygiene? Data collection methods in qualitative research typically involve in-depth interviews, focus groups, observations, and document analysis. These methods enable researchers to gather detailed personal stories and insights, which are analyzed thematically or narratively to identify common themes and patterns (Yousefi et al., 2020).
Choosing a qualitative research design has benefits in its ability to provide rich, descriptive data that offer insights into personal and cultural aspects of menstrual hygiene. This approach can identify barriers and facilitators to effective menstrual hygiene education, helping to develop culturally sensitive educational materials and programs. Moreover, qualitative research captures the complexity of human experiences and social processes, which are often missed in quantitative studies (Maxwell, 2021).
In contrast, quantitative research focuses on measuring the effectiveness, reach, and impact of educational programs, often using structured tools like surveys and statistical analysis. While quantitative methods provide reliable, generalizable data and allow for hypothesis testing, they may miss contextual and personal insights critical for understanding the cultural and social dimensions of menstrual hygiene (Maxwell, 2021).
Given these considerations, a qualitative research design is the most appropriate choice for my proposal on menstrual hygiene education. It will provide a comprehensive understanding of the cultural and personal factors that influence menstrual hygiene practices, thereby informing the development of effective and culturally sensitive educational interventions.
References
Maxwell, J. A. (2021). Why qualitative methods are necessary for generalization. Qualitative Psychology, 8(1), 111-118. https://doi.org/10.1037/qup0000173
Yousefi, N. R., Sale, J. E. M., Marin, A., & Ross, L. E. (2020). Social network analysis: An example of fusion between quantitative and qualitative methods. Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 14(1), 110-124. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689818804060
