NURS 3150/ NURS 3151 Week 4: Qualitative Research Designs and Methods

[Qualitative research] is more than simply conducting research on a single individual or situation. This approach has the potential to deal with simple through complex situations. It enables the researcher to answer “how” and “why” type questions, while taking into consideration how a phenomenon is influenced by

the context within which it is situated.

– Pamela Baxter and Susan Jack,

“Qualitative Case Study Methodology”

 

How does qualitative research differ from quantitative research? How might a research question best be answered by using a qualitative research design approach?

 

Last week, you explored different quantitative research designs used in nursing research for clinical research questions. While quantitative research designs are appropriate and useful for a wide range of research questions, you might find that adopting a qualitative approach may yield different insights that might best support solutions for a given research question. Understanding the differences between quantitative/qualitative research designs, and their methods, will contribute to effective nursing practice and your role as a nursing professional.

 

This week, you examine qualitative research designs and methods. You will first explore the different types of qualitative research approaches used in clinical research studies, including obtrusive (e.g., participatory action, ethnography), unobtrusive (e.g., non-participatory observation, audiovisual), and observational (e.g., focus groups, in-depth interviews). Then, you examine the basic characteristics of each approach (e.g., inductive reasoning, narrative descriptions, process orientation), as well as the characteristics of different approaches used to conduct qualitative research designs, such as sample selection, data collection, data management, and interpretative techniques.

 

Learning Objectives

Students will:

Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of methods used in qualitative research designs

Analyze elements of qualitative research designs

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Gray, J. R, Grove, S. K., & Sutherland, S. (2017). The practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

 

Chapter 4, “Introduction to Qualitative Research” (pp. 62-73)

Chapter 12, “Qualitative Research Methods” (pp. 251-281)

Bamm, E. L., Rosenbaum, P., Wilkins, S., Stratford, P., & Mahlberg, N. (2015). Exploring client-centered care experiences in in-patient rehabilitation settings. Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 2, 1–11.

 

Sarvestani, R. S., Moattari, M., Nasrabadi, A. N., Momennasab, M., & Yektatalab, S. (2015). Challenges of nursing handover: A qualitative study. Clinical Nursing Research, 24(3), 234–252.

 

Stiffler, D., Cullen, D. & Luna, G. (2014). Diabetes barriers and self-care management: The patient perspective. Clinical Nursing Research, 23(6), 601-626.

 

Walsh, A., Meagher-Stewart, D. & Macdonald, M. (2015). Persistent optimizing: How mothers make food choices for their preschool children. Qualitative Health Research, 25(4), 527-539.

 

Document: Journal Club Template for Qualitative Research (Word Document)

 

Writing Resources and Program Success Tools

Walden University. (n.d.). Walden templates: General templates: APA course paper template with advice (7th ed.). Retrieved from https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general

 

Document: Academic Writing Expectations (AWE) Checklist (Word Document)

 

 

 

This checklist will help you self-assess your writing to see if it meets academic writing standards for this course.

 

Required Media

Laureate Education (Producer). (2015b). Qualitative research design [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.

 

 

 

Note: The approximate length of this media piece is 11 minutes.