A critical analysis of the article, “The Effect of Skin-to-Skin Contact (Kangaroo Care) Shortly After Birth on the Neurobehavioral Responses of the Term Newborn: A Randomized, Controlled Trial”. By Sari Goldstein Ferber and Imad R. Makhoul shows that it is a quantitative study. The authors aimed at evaluating the effect of Kangaroo care in terms of delivery upon the behavioral responses of the healthy newborns. Thus, the quantitative study dwelt on the skin to skin contact has shown in the physiological, cognitive, and emotional gain for preterm infant. Therefore, the title and abstract of the study clearly espouses the objectives of the research, as well as an outline of the study design, subjects, results, and the conclusions.
The research title is the first instance the audience meets with the research concept, and therefore, the title should articulate the research topic in a manner that draws the readers’ interest to the topic. This implies that the topic should reflect on the objectives and final goals of the research study. The knowledge and expertise of the researchers is authenticated and they are experts in their medical and academic professions, therefore, they are capable to handle the scope of the research study. Therefore, the systematic review of the research article require appraisal, summarization, and integrating the information into a single idea or notion that will help the targeted audience the variable quality and scope of the important aspects of the research. Starting with the abstract, it is apparent that the research study has touched on the pertinent issues concerning the entire research. The author has provided a brief summary of research problem or questions with the corresponding hypotheses, and it is apparent that the abstract includes the problem statement, as well as the method used and the findings, a brief discussion of the results is also provided and the overall conclusions and recommendations of the research study.
The research study in question provides sufficient literature review. The researcher has adequately provided background information concerning the requirements and the needs of a comprehensive literature review. The literature review elaborates more on the topic under study, as well as the appropriate methodologies of conducting the quantitative research. The authors elaborate the research methodology used in collecting and analyzing the data, and therefore the study design chosen is appropriate in answering the research questions. The researchers used the randomized controlled trails in collecting the data of the neurobehavioral responses of the healthy newborns. After gaining consent from the research participants, the researchers assigned mothers to 1 or 2 groups categorized as Kangaroo care after short delivery and no-treatment standard care, which was the control group. Kangaroo C are infants were brought to the nursery 15 to 20 and 75 to 80 minutes after birth, and 15 to 20 minutes after delivery that lasted for an hour. Therefore, the study design was valid and reliable, as well as posses the characteristic of replicatability.
Therefore, factors such as the sample size, target population, data collection tools, data analysis technique, and Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement designs are used well by the researchers, in the case that they are well exemplified. Looking at the presentation of results and findings, the authors have used both qualitative and quantitative methods to represent the data. The researchers have used tables, graphs and chart to illustrate their findings from the collected data, as well as inferential statistical methods in data analysis. For instance, they have applied analysis of variance in testing the research hypotheses, which augments the validity and reliability of the collected data, as well as the results. The advanced statistical methods in the data analysis add credibility to the research results. The researcher may choose to present the data inform of graphs and charts in order to enhance the presentability of the findings to the audience in a more appealing manner. The author of the research study has methodologically presented the challenges, as well as the possible solutions within the context of addressing the research questions. The critique of the quantitative research study should focus on the benefits and limitations the researcher displayed in the relationships between the research design, finding, results and the discussions. Thus, the quantitative research study should discuss the hypotheses in details, as well as the author being able to provide new information regarding the topic under study.
The researcher further notes that experimental research designs tend to have more risks, as compared to other kinds of research methods, and therefore considering ethical issues helps in addressing matters that may arise in the participants’ decision to cooperate with the researchers. The critique of the quantitative research study should focus on the benefits and limitations the researcher displayed in the discussions from the research results. Thus, the quantitative research study should discuss the hypotheses in details, as well as the author being able to provide new information regarding the topic under study. Thus, the author argues that the discussion section should emphasize overall statement about the results in relation to the information derived from the experimental design.
The researchers concluded that Kangaroo care appeared to impact the state organization together with the motor system modulation of the new born infants shortly after delivery. Therefore, the conclusion wraps and consolidates everything into one or more points of view about the topic under research. The researcher reviewer should focus on the in the results in drawing valid conclusions about the position or positions taken concerning the thesis statement. It is apparent that the conclusions have answered the research questions, and therefore the authors have achieved their objective of the research study. Hence, the researchers have contributed positively in influencing future research direction to the topic under study. It is also prudent to provide a brief discussion about the implications of the research on nursing practice, and as well as the future direction of research in the field of study. Finally, the author insists that the conclusion or summary should pull all the information together, as well as the lessons leant. Therefore, medical and nurses may well use the information and advice in a prudent manner in order to provide this kind of care shortly after birth to the newborns in controlling the skin to skin contact neurobehavioral responses.
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