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[Importance of qualitative research for nursing and nursing science][Article in German] M Grypdonck. Pflege. 1997 Aug. AbstractQualitative research has an important place in nursing science and is becoming increasingly recognized. Qualitative research in nursing mainly deals with the lived experiences of patients and nurses. In the field of chronic illness, qualitative research has brought to the open some of the processes chronically ill patients undergo and what it means living with chronic illness. In addition, new insights were gained about the processes involved in receiving and in giving care. Qualitative research about chronic illness provided nurses with understanding of the lived experience of patients. This understanding is essential for good nursing care. However, qualitative research is not the only method and for some aspects of nursing not the adequate one. Qualitative and quantitative research are complementary. Similar articles
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Qualitative research is designed to identify the thoughts and experiences of individuals being studied in relation to a specific query. These findings are sorted, analyzed and presented to identify commonalities among members of the study group. While qualitative studies are not statistically driven like quantitative studies, they offer distinctive benefits. Within a healthcare setting, qualitative research can aim to identify what matters most to patients and how their experience can be improved. Improving patient care must be an ongoing goal among health service providers. Qualitative data plays a pivotal role in supporting this continual improvement through the collection and interpretation of patient perspectives. What Is Qualitative Research?Qualitative research collects the perspectives of individuals and seeks to draw conclusions from the sample group being studied. Qualitative data collection methods include interviews, focus groups and observation. Interviews allow the patient partners to provide detailed information about their experiences.1 Both qualitative and quantitative research can be beneficial for generating new insights. Researchers must determine their end goal to help them decide which format to use. Challenges in Qualitative ResearchWhile qualitative research provides necessary information for various research goals, this approach does involve some difficulties. It places a significant burden on the researchers and their ability to interview, observe, document and interpret the data. Therefore, the results may inherently be somewhat subjective. Some additional challenges associated with qualitative studies in healthcare include:
Why Qualitative Research Is Important in HealthcareDespite the inherent difficulties of qualitative research, the outcomes of these studies are necessary to increase patient care and patient satisfaction. Patients in a study must be seen as partners in research. Their experiences must be appropriately documented and analyzed to provide high-quality findings. The benefits of qualitative research in healthcare include:2
The research conducted can provide a base of knowledge from which to determine avenues of growth or change. While quantitative research provides a statistical base of correlative or casual data, qualitative research provides highly detailed, personal accounts of individual experiences. A comprehensive description of the research method and participant demographics also helps subsequent researchers recreate or expand on the research conducted. Is Qualitative Research Reliable?The subjective nature of data collection in qualitative research may raise the question of reliability. A quantitative researcher uses multiple-choice surveys or highly structured data analysis to compile information. In contrast, qualitative data depends substantially on the researcher’s interpretation of the experiences of the patient partners. Still, there are many ways to enhance the reliability of qualitative data. Researchers may wish to use “member checking” to preserve the integrity of their research.1 As interviews are being conducted and analyzed, a member of the research team connects with interviewees to verify that the researcher is interpreting the interviews correctly. Implementing Qualitative Research in HealthcareQualitative research in healthcare should be used to inform healthcare professionals and providers as they make policies and implement organizational change. The findings can also be used to influence health policy beyond the hospital and primary care level. In fact, as qualitative research expands, the content can be used to influence local and national health policy.3 Consider earning a qualitative EdD in Healthcare Administration or a qualitative EdD in Organizational Leadership and Organizational Development from Grand Canyon University. The College of Doctoral Studies at GCU gives doctoral learners the flexibility and resources to achieve their goals. To learn more about GCU’s doctoral programs, click on the Request More Information button at the top of this page. Retrieved from: 1Biomedical Central, Research Involvement and Engagement, Using qualitative Health Research methods to improve patient and public involvement and engagement in research in May 2021 2BJM Journals, BJM Quality and Safety, Qualitative methods in research on healthcare quality in May 2021 3Nursing Times, Understanding qualitative research and its value in healthcare, May 2021 The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date. What are the benefits of qualitative research in healthcare?Qualitative research helps to understand the patterns of health behaviors, describe illness experiences, design health interventions, and develop healthcare theories. The ultimate strength of the qualitative research approach lies in the richness of the data and the descriptions and depth of exploration it makes.
Is qualitative research better for nursing?Application to nursing practice
Qualitative research not only generates evidence but also can help nurses determine patient preferences. Without qualitative research, we can't truly understand others, including their interpretations, meanings, needs, and wants.
What is the advantage of qualitative research?What are the advantages of qualitative research? Qualitative research focuses on gaining as much data as possible from a relatively small sample size. It is a more flexible approach than quantitative research since it enables participants to express themselves while providing data.
Why is qualitative and quantitative research important in nursing?Nurses utilize quantitative and qualitative research in order to evaluate the best interventions for patients. They also may gather contextual information through EBP research that helps determine how to proceed with patient care.
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