The hypotheses of the study came in a single one line under the objectives/aims section. Thus, the researcher hypothesized that some factors influenced the need for Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation patients to seek psychotherapy consultations. Key among them included age, the severity of the condition, and whether the patient had taken tracheostomy or not (Jolley, Caldwell, & Hough, 2014).
The hypotheses were not appropriately worded as they did not give clear boundaries of the study’s propositions. Everything was bundled up in one sentence which made it seem like the researcher had left so many things away from the study. Further, the statement was placed as the last bit of a different section which robs it of the importance that it is supposed to have in understanding the whole research. Treating the hypothesis in a general manner led to a lack of specificity. For instance, there were no specific variables to show why the researcher expected a given outcome. Further, the statement did not provide a reference to the specific type of population that most likely needed the treatment.
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However, the absence of clearer hypotheses was justified by the direct presentations in the subsequent sections. For instance, the introduction part laid a comprehensive background of the various conditions to which the patients who stay for over 14 days in the hospital after discharge from ICU get exposed (Jolley, Caldwell, & Hough, 2014). In this manner, one gets an idea of the questions the study will seek to answer. Further, the methodology section gives an outline of how the study population was selected thus giving independent variables such as the severity of the illness, the age of the patients, and the presence of tracheostomy. Therefore, the research questions are implied within the introduction and methodology segments of the study. This approach poses a challenge as the reader may not get a glimpse of what to expect immediately they interact with the article.
Reference
Jolley, S. E., Caldwell, E., & Hough, C. L. (2014). Factors associated with receipt of physical therapy consultation in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. Dimensions of critical care nursing: DCCN , 33 (3), 160-169.
