Category Archives: Clinical Statistics

Statistical Conclusion Errors in Hypothesis Testing

You learn about statistical conclusion errors in every basic nursing research class and are expected to understand what these errors mean. Wait! Did I learn about this, you ask? Yes, yes, you did. Remember Type I and Type II errors? Those are statistical conclusion errors. But I’ll tell you that

What Do Confidence Intervals Really Tell You?

P-values and Confidence Intervals In a previous post, I talked about p-values – what they tell you and what they don’t tell you. Quick recap since talking about confidence intervals is related to p-values: p-values ONLY tell you whether a research result is statistically significant or not based on the

What Do P-Values Really Mean?

This month’s blog theme is nursing research, so I’m discussing the meaning of some statistical concepts to help you interpret the research studies you are reading.  I’m going to talk about several concepts this month that I have found both undergraduate and graduate students struggle to really understand. Last week

What’s the Difference Between Statistical Significance and Clinical Significance?

There are two types of significance used to interpret research studies – statistical significance and clinical significance. They are not the same thing. One answers the question, Are the statistical results due to random chance? and the other answers the question, So what? Will the results matter to our patients?

Introduction to Clinical Statistics for EBP – Morbidity (Frequency) Measures

This Podcast provides an introduction to clinical epidemiology, the foundation of clinical statistics that are used in evidence-based practice (EBP).  This podcast introduces morbidity or frequency measures of incidence, prevalence, and incidence density and why these concepts are important for advanced nursing practice. In addition, a brief overview of research designs to

Introduction to Clinical Statistics for EBP – Measures of Clinical Significance

A continuation of the podcast series providing an overview of clinical statistics for evidence-based practice for healthcare providers. This podcast contains a discussion of epidemiologic parameters that are important for choosing and understanding measures of clinical significance. Especially those related to ascertaining differences in group outcomes, i.e., intervention effects (e.g., effect size),

Introduction to Clinical Statistics for EBP – Diagnostic Testing

A continuation of the podcast series providing an overview of clinical statistics for evidence-based practice for healthcare providers. This podcast contains a discussion of parameters used to ascertain the accuracy of diagnostic testing for clinical decision-making. 2×2 Tables for diagnostic tests, Pretest and posttest probabilities, sensitivity and specificity, predictive values, and likelihood values are