Sources of secondary data. There are numerous sources. In the clinical setting, common repositories include patient charts, satisfaction surveys, data collected for quality improvement processes, and accounting and inventory management systems. There also are federal sources, such as the Bureau of the US Census mentioned previously. At the state level, common databases include labor bureau information, vital statistics, and health records.
Professional associations have data about their members.
AORN is exploring opportunities to develop a perioperative nursing database that will be a valuable source of perioperative information. There also are commercial data repositories that make secondary data available for a fee. Appraising the secondary data source. If you have determined that secondary data analysis may be a viable option for a proposed research project, it is important to carefully appraise the potential data source. By asking the following questions, researchers can evaluate an existing database.