Nokea
A pediatric fellow is planning a project intended to decrease the incidence of acute chest syndrome among patients with sickle cell disease who are already admitted to the hospital for other reasons. The fellow discussed with her mentor whether the project proposal should be submitted for review by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The mentor explains that, at their intuition, quality improvement activities do not require IRB review but research projects must be submitted to the IRB. Which of the following is NOT a relevant consideration in determining whether the project is research or quality improvement?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because the intent to publish results in a peer-reviewed journal is not a relevant consideration in determining whether a project is research or quality improvement. Here's a step-by-step rationale:
1. Quality improvement aims to enhance processes within a specific institution, while research seeks to generate generalizable knowledge.
2. Methodology using Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles is common in both quality improvement and research projects.
3. Efforts to stabilize biases/confounders over time align with both quality improvement and research principles.
4. Intent to publish in a peer-reviewed journal does not define the project as research; it is possible to publish quality improvement initiatives as well.