Proposal: Lowering Suicidal Ideation Among Geriatric Patients
PICOT question is as follows: Does implement an intervention aimed at lowering suicidal ideation (I) among geriatric patients (P) for two months (T) allows for decreasing the levels of suicidal ideation among these patients (O) when compared to their levels of suicidal ideation before the intervention (C)?
Within the framework of the current research, the investigator expects to go through the existing evaluation tools and pick the one that suits them the most. It is not reasonable to develop a new evaluation tool as the premise of the issue is not complex, and the researcher can use a simple system of pre-and posttests that will help them to identify whether the proposed intervention was effective (Coburn, Marcantonio, Lazansky, Keller, & Davis, 2012). The baseline data will be collected using interviews and surveys. It will be necessary to take an existing questionnaire on a similar topic and revise it so it would be in line with the clinical question of the study and all the other objectives of the current research project. As it was stated above, pre-and post-tests will be required to make the most informed conclusions regarding the effectiveness of the proposed intervention stated in the PICOT.
The change will be measured based on the pre-and post-intervention level of suicidal ideation. The participants for the study will be identified based on their age and inclination toward suicide (Kennedy-Malone, Fletcher, & Plank, 2014). The type of study does not directly depend on the sample and sampling method. The confidentiality of study participants will be ensured by several security measures, including password-protected computers and data archives and complete anonymity intended to generate the most genuine results. The most reasonable timeline for the project is 60 days as it is essential not only to implement the intervention but also to observe the outcomes (both short- and long-term). The researcher expects the time spent on gathering and analyzing the data the only expense within the framework of the current research project. Considering the nature of the project, there will be no need to entice any funding sources for this project.
Does implementing an intervention aimed at lowering suicidal ideation (I) among geriatric patients (P) for two months (T) allows for decreasing the levels of suicidal ideation among these patients (O) when compared to their levels of suicidal ideation before the intervention (C)?
The researcher expects to make the best use of a quasi-experimental design within the framework of this study. It is chosen because the investigator can manipulate the study in several ways that can be beneficial to the ultimate outcomes of the research. For instance, it will allow the researcher to make the necessary generalizations after a relatively short period. The study will be conducted within a healthcare facility. The participants of the study will be elderly patients that are prone to committing suicide throughout the initial stages of their mental illnesses. To pick the participants, the researcher is going to filter them by age, gender, and health-related issues (Kennedy-Malone et al., 2014). The investigator will utilize the sample of convenience because a quasi-experimental research design was chosen. To ensure that the confidentiality of all the participants is protected, the researcher will keep all the results of the surveys in an anonymous format to eliminate a certain level of research bias as well (Coburn et al., 2012).
Also, all the files that are going to be stored on hard or external drives will be protected by passwords to reduce the possibility of data modification or theft. The intervention that is proposed by the researcher includes both pharmacological and sociological approaches. First of all, the investigator is expected to utilize lithium treatment. The latter will be ultimately combined with social events that are expected to help seniors with suicidal thoughts get over the complications and get back to normal life (Kennedy-Malone et al., 2014). The key objective of the research is to change the participants’ attitudes toward the treatment process and their surroundings. The researcher is going to use an adjusted version of the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire (that is also known as SBQ-R or Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised). Using this survey, the investigator will be able to collect qualitative data on this matter (Moyle, Parker, & Bramble, 2014). The gathering of quantitative data is not expected within the framework of this research as the investigator is only interested in testing the proposed interventions and synthesize their effectiveness via the SBQ (Kim & Yang, 2017).
The number of tests that will be conducted within the framework of this research (also known as testing frequency) will not exceed two iterations. The first test will be needed to evaluate the existing state of affairs and revise the proposed intervention in terms of its pharmacological aspect (meaning lithium dosages and other related concepts). The second test is required to assess the outcomes of the research and see if the intervention was effective. The investigator is interested in conducting these two tests because the proposed intervention consisting of social events and lithium intake is expected to have a positive impact on patient outcomes. The demographic data that is going to be reported include the age, gender, and race of the study participants. The researcher expects to see the positive feedback from the patients and validate the efficiency of the proposed intervention.
References
Coburn, K. D., Marcantonio, S., Lazansky, R., Keller, M., & Davis, N. (2012). Effect of a community-based nursing intervention on mortality in chronically ill older adults: A randomized controlled trial. PLoS Medicine, 9(7), 2-17. Web.
Kennedy-Malone, L., Fletcher, K. R., & Plank, L. M. (2014). Advanced practice nursing in the care of older adults. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.
Kim, J., & Yang, J. (2017). Effectiveness of a community-based program for suicide prevention among elders with early-stage dementia: A controlled observational study. Geriatric Nursing, 38(2), 97-105. Web.
Moyle, W., Parker, D., & Bramble, M. (2014). Care of older adults: A strengths-based approach. Port Melbourne, Australia: Cambridge University Press.