Running head: CRITIQUE BIG DATA 1

Critique of Nursing Needs Big Data and Big Data Needs Nursing

Allison Rogers

King University
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Critique of Nursing Needs Big Data and Big Data Needs Nursing

Brennan and Bakken (2015) analyze a qualitative review of data in healthcare. By

reviewing massive amounts of data, they believe healthcare professionals, such as nurses, can

uncover knowledge that has been buried, or hidden, in previous data. Both authors are registered

nurses and hold Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) degrees, making them qualified to perform

research. I felt that the title of the article was appropriate, clear, and very concise, in which it

summed up the paper. I personally found it hard to get through the first paragraph without

reading it over, in order to understand what it said, I did not feel that this grabbed my attention

and interest, instead I felt that made the whole article difficult to read. The introductory

paragraph, as well as the throughout the article, pointed out several instances where data has

been significant in changing healthcare. The significance to nursing was stated multiple times

throughout the article. Brennan and Bakken (2015) explain that nurses need data to show

evidenced based practice approaches, discoveries on disease processes, as well as allow

personnel to gain insight on the patient experience, which allows improvements to be made.

They go on to state that nurses contribution to the data collection is essential, in order to

demonstrate this evidence, therefore, allowing everyone benefits from data collection (Brennan

& Bakken, 2015).

Purpose, Research Problem, and Hypothesis

Brennan and Bakken (2015) reveal the research problem by analyzing massive amounts

of data, they refer to as big data, in hopes insights will be gained, that is not necessarily

available through traditional research. The introductory paragraph describes how nursing needs

big data and big data needs nursing, leading to the purpose of the paper (Brennan & Bakken,

2015, p.477). The hypothesis statement is not clearly stated, however the article suggest that big
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data can provide nurses with knowledge, for example, patterns that might give insight on causes

of infection, or consequences of climate change (Brennan & Bakken, 2015). Brennan and

Bakken (2015) also suggest that through big data, hypotheses can be revealed, as well as

answered, through evaluation of the massive amounts of data. I feel that this hypothesis makes

since, due to the vast amounts of data available, one would have a hard time reviewing every bit

of data available on a specific subject, therefore the research could only provide a piece of the

existing data. By analyzing all the data available, there would have to show a more accurate

viewpoint of the subject. There are 30 references listed in the reference section. I did not find

the authors speaking of data saturation or no further need for additional references. The articles

referenced seemed to be relevant, in which they revealed how data is relevant to nursing, how

nursing needs data to flourish, and how data needs nursing to be at its full range. Sixty percent

of the listed references are current, and published within the past five years. Of the 30

references, 27 are dated within ten years of publication of the article, and 18 of those were within

five years of publication, leaving only three references written more than ten years prior to the

publication date. The authors did not mention using ethical practices, however there are no

individual research participants used, only the population of nursing in general.

Theoretical or Conceptual Framework

The framework for this article was ill defined. I feel this article gave a retrospective

analysis of data, its contribution, and importance to healthcare and health science research. The

authors state that nursings participation is now underway; leading one to believe the study is

currently taking place. According to Grove, Burns, and Grey (2013), trend designs examine

changes in the general population in relation to a particular phenomenon (p. 221). Longitudinal
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trends examine multiple domains examining the study trends (Grove, Burns, & Grey, 2013).

Therefore, I believe the authors are using a longitudinal trend as a framework for their analysis.

Operational Terms

Reviewing the research problem, the operational terms are identified as massive amounts

of data, or as the authors referred to as big data. Big data is appropriate for this review. It will

help to fill the gap, through gaining insights that are not presently available through traditional

research, as identified by the research problem. The big data will also help to clarify and answer

the hypothesis.

Research Design and Population and Sample

This article was a review of data and the importance of data to the nursing profession.

No study was clearly stated in the article. Although Brennan and Bakken (2015) state nursings

participation in the big data and data science initiatives now underway is essential to ensure that

the discoveries not only be shaped by our professions unique understanding of the patient

experience but also that the discoveries lead to knowledge that is useful to nursing (p. 477).

Nursing in general was the population identified, there is no way of knowing exactly how many

persons this pertains to, therefore making no sample size available. No data collection method

was clearly stated. I do not feel that this article pertains to a traditional research study, merely

reviewing the importance of research to nursing and the health profession. The significance of

data collection and research, to nursing, was clearly stated multiple times throughout the article.

Brennan and Bakken (2015), clearly point out that data is very important to the nursing

profession, which enables nurses to grow and mature in nursing knowledge in order to develop

enhanced strategies for improvement in health care. Bias has the potential to play a role in the
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development of this article. According to the reported credentialing of the authors, both are

professors of nursing at different universities in the United States. In addition, Brennan is a

professor of industrial engineering and Bakken is a professor of biomedical informatics, which

could potentially be the drive behind the importance data and research. The authors even

mention in the article that they are nurse thought leaders in biomedical informatics, and

present observations and reflections based on their experiences in big data initiatives (Brennan &

Bakkan, 2015, p.477).

Assumptions/ Limitations

The authors make assumptions that nurses need massive amounts of data to gain

knowledge that has not been constrained through theories (Brennan & Bakkan, 2015). No

limitations are clearly stated. Since this seems to be an ongoing study, possibly no limitations

have been identified thus far.

Conclusions and Implications for Future Research

Just as the title implicates, Brennan and Bakken (2015) conclude, as a profession we

have much to gain and much to contribute (p. 483). The future of the profession falls on the

discoveries made, as well as information provided through data science. The authors made no

suggestions or implications for specific future research, but for research in general, in order to

advance nursing and healthcare knowledge to aid in future practice, education, and research.
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References

Brennan, P. F., & Bakken, S. (2015). Nursing needs big data and big data needs nursing.

Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 47(5), 477-484. Doi: 10.1111/jnu.12159

Grove, S. K., Burns, N., and Gray, J. R. (2013). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal,

synthesis, and generation of evidence, 7th (ed.). Saint Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders.