Megan Lippe1, Bailey Johnson2, Patricia Carter3. 1. University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing, 650 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, United States. Electronic address: melippe@ua.edu. 2. University of Alabama Capstone College of Nursing, 650 University Blvd. East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401, United States. Electronic address: bajohnson6@crimson.ua.edu. 3. University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing, 1710 Red River St., Austin, TX 78701, United States. Electronic address: pcarter@mail.nur.utexas.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Within nursing education research, protection of students as human subjects must be the highest priority. This protection can be provided via student anonymity. A subject-generated identification code, comprised of responses to a series of questions, can link data across time points while protecting student anonymity. METHOD: Two studies, focused on palliative care education, used a subject-generated identification code to link student data across multiple time points. Refinements to the code were made between studies to further enhance anonymity and response consistency. RESULTS: The subject-generated identification code fostered linking of student responses across three time points in study one and two time points in study two. CONCLUSION: There are many benefits to utilizing a subject-generated identification code in nursing education studies. Researchers must consider the need for a data management expert and balancing transposition errors and the power to differentiate between responses.
BACKGROUND: Within nursing education research, protection of students as human subjects must be the highest priority. This protection can be provided via student anonymity. A subject-generated identification code, comprised of responses to a series of questions, can link data across time points while protecting student anonymity. METHOD: Two studies, focused on palliative care education, used a subject-generated identification code to link student data across multiple time points. Refinements to the code were made between studies to further enhance anonymity and response consistency. RESULTS: The subject-generated identification code fostered linking of student responses across three time points in study one and two time points in study two. CONCLUSION: There are many benefits to utilizing a subject-generated identification code in nursing education studies. Researchers must consider the need for a data management expert and balancing transposition errors and the power to differentiate between responses.