The process of hypothesis testing in nursing involves several key steps:
Formulate the Hypotheses: Define the null and alternative hypotheses based on the research question. Choose a Significance Level: Typically, a significance level (alpha) of 0.05 is used. This means there is a 5% risk of rejecting the null hypothesis when it is actually true. Select a Test: Choose the appropriate statistical test (e.g., t-test, chi-square test) based on the data type and research design. Collect Data: Gather sample data through experimentation or observation. Perform the Test: Use statistical software to compute the test statistic and p-value. Make a Decision: Compare the p-value to the significance level to decide whether to reject or fail to reject the null hypothesis.
