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A Test-retest Method Is Commonly Used To Assess The Reliability Of A Tool. ...

A test-retest method is commonly used to assess the reliability of a tool. This involves collecting data at a number of points from the same sample. We could administer a questionnaire to a sample of nurses to measure their attitudes one-week, and re-administer the questionnaire to the same sample two weeks later. If individual scores at both times were similar, we might conclude that the questionnaire had a degree of reliability. Careful selection of samples and the use of well designed, structured, standardised instruments are the main ways in which the qualities of surveys are enhanced. The first involves triangulation, whereby a different design or methodology for data collection is administered, as a means of verifying the interview data. For example, the nurses could have been administered a nutritional questionnaire (e.g. Parmenter & Wardle, 1999), and the data from this crosschecked with the interview transcripts. Another technique involves participant feedback, whereby some nurses could have been approached after completion of the study, to see if the researchers' conclusions match the participants' personal experiences. Nevertheless, overall, Kowanko et al's (1999) study confirms the findings of previous research (i.e. Perry et al, 1997) indicating deficiencies in knowledge and questionable attitudes amongst nurses, concerning nutritional care.
Warber et al (2000) investigated the general nutritional knowledge of nurse practitioners in New England. Participants were 200 adult and family nurses with at least Masters or certificate level education. Unusually for studies in this area, this sample was randomly selected. The nurses were administered a survey comprising scientifically accurate questions on nutrition taken from a ‘Nutrition Test Bank' from the University of Alabama's school of medicine. These questions addressed basic nutritional knowledge concerning the function of nutrition in prevention of illness, food labelling, and selection of nutritious foods. The questionnaire was evaluated for accuracy by a team of registered dieticians. Data from 68 nurses was analysed, yielding an overall average score of 66%, with more than two-thirds obtaining scores below 70%. Warber and colleagues concluded that nutritional knowledge was inadequate, perhaps due to the fact that nutrition education is not accorded priority in nursing education (e.g. undergraduate training). Despite attempts at random sampling only self-selected sub-sample of nurses responded to the questionnaire, creating unwanted bias in the data. Moreover, the sample was rather small, reducing the generalisability of the findings. Perhaps the greatest constraint is analytical. Warber et al (2000) did not subject their data to any statistical test. Therefore, it is not clear whether the proportions of nurses who scored below or above 70% represent a reliable observation.

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