Quantitative Nursing Research

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Hi,

Excellent questions! Let's take a closer look.

RESPONSE:

1. What are some of the reasons that researchers may want to conduct a qualitative rather than a quantitative nursing research study?

If you want to do an in-depth study of a phenomenon, then qualitative research is better. Other reasons to use qualitative research are linked to the benefits of this method:

? Uses subjective data,
? Not limited to rigidly defined variables
? Examines complex questions that cannot investigate using quantitative methods
? Deal with value-laden questions
? Explore new areas of research
? Build new theories.

For example, focus group discussions bring together small groups (often six to ten people) to "focus in" on one topic that is of interest to a client. The topic might be a new product or service, public issues e.g. epidemic, advertising, etc. You might be invited to participate in a group session or an individual interview conducted face-to-face at a healthcare organization or other location, or by phone, or over the internet.

2. What are some ways you could use the findings of a qualitative nursing research study to influence the way care is provided in an emergency department setting? No references please. Thank you.

For example, if the research suggested that customers perceived impatience from emergency intake workers, training could be initiated for the workers. Perhaps, the research found that the waiting time was too long. Then, the emergency department might consider ways to decrease the waiting time. Perhaps research suggested the need for a larger waiting room, or more chairs, then this would inform your decisions to meet these patient needs.

The EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT could use the findings to develop and implement guidelines for treating patients with certain types of disease?asthma, etc. The staff might take existing guideline AND review research literature to update the guidelines with new knowledge for the final guidelines. Thiss would lead to guidelines that reflect pateint needs,, which means a high quality of care.

Can you think of others? See an excellent article discussing qualitative research and evidence-based practice at URL: http://www.scielo.br/pdf/rlae/v11n3/16534.pdf also presented below for convenience.

I HOPE THIS HELPS AND TAKE CARE.

EXTRA INFORMATION: Article

CONTRIBUTIONS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH TO EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN NURSING

Rita L. Ailinger1

Ailinger RL. Contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice in nursing. Rev Latino-am Enfermagem 2003
maio-junho; 11(3):275-9.

Aim. This article aims to identify the contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice in nursing.

Background. Qualitative research dates back to the 1920s and 1930s, when anthropologists and sociologists used qualitative
research methods to study human phenomena in naturalistic settings and from a holistic viewpoint. Afterwards, other subject
matters, including nursing, adopted qualitative methods to answer their research questions. The restructuring of health care over
the past decade has brought about increased accountability in nursing research. One method for increasing this accountability
is evidence-based practice. Method. The method used was a search in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health
Literature database from 1999-present. The search resulted in 61 citations for evidence-based practice in nursing research;
however, only 5 citations focused on evidence-based practice and qualitative research. Findings. The authors' findings revealed
six contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice: generation of hypotheses; development and validation of
instruments; provision of context for evaluation; development of nursing interventions; development of new research questions;
and application of Qualitative Outcome Analysis. Conclusion. Qualitative research makes important contributions to the quality
of evidence-based practice.

The aim of this article is to identify the contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice. To place this aim within a broader context, a brief history of qualitative research and of nursing research related to evidence-based practice are presented. Qualitative research dates back to the 1920s and 1930s when anthropologists and sociologists made inquiries into human groups. As part of their inquiries, social science researchers developed various research methods to study human phenomena, usually in a naturalistic setting and from a holistic viewpoint. Later, other disciplines, including nursing, political science and education, adopted qualitative methods to answer their research questions(1). Qualitative research also has received renewed attention in health care research. Recently(2), has focused attention on qualitative methods to answer health services research and policy questions(3). In nursing(4), there are examples(4) of evidence based on four patterns of knowing in nursing(5). They view 'scientific data' as associated with empirical knowing; 'standards of practice, codes of ethics, [and] philosophies of nursing' as associated with ethical knowing; 'autobiographical stories' as associated with personal knowing; and 'aesthetic criticism and works of art' as associated with aesthetic knowing. Fawcett et al.(4). believe that each of the four patterns of knowing can be viewed as a theory and that 'different kinds of nursing theories provide different lenses for critiquing and interpreting the different kinds of evidence essential for theory guided, and evidence based-holistic nursing practice' [italics added].

Evidence-based practice is a relatively new term that has evolved over the past decade; it has been driven by managed care, cost pressures, consumer awareness and information dissemination. But what is evidence-based practice? Three definitions of it follow to highlight differing perspectives. Evidence-based practice is defined in medicine as 'the integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values'(6). Another author(7) defines ...