Readings 

 Woo (2019). Chapter 3. p. 50-62

RNAO BPG champion webinars:
 webinar 5 & 6
https://rnao.ca/bpg/courses/best-practice-champions-elearning-course
 
Lovric, Farcic, Miksic, & Vcev, (2020).
 
Sterling, Tseng, Poon, Cho, Avgar, Kern, et al (2020).
 

Sun, Wei, Shi, Jiao, Song, Ma, et al (2020).

Learning Objectives
1. To describe the key features of the qualitative research design

2. To discuss the role of the subjective in qualitative research

3. To describe and critically appraise the designs of the critical social theory, phenomenology and grounded theory

4. To describe additional qualitative research designs: ethnography, participatory action, historical research

5. To describe and critically appraise qualitative sampling strategies and methodologies

6. To describe and appraise qualitative data collection methods.

7. To complete the RNAO Best Practice Guideline Champion webinars 5 and 6 for guideline implementation
8. to identify BPG recommendation implementation monitoring strategies
9. to identify measures of staff comprehension, acceptance and ability to apply a BPG recommendation
10. to identify strategies to sustain the BPG recommendation implementation over time
11. to identify decision making and planning strategies to sustain the implementation 
 

Qualitative Research Designs, Qualitative Sampling, Sample Size

 Pause and Reflect
1. From your classes in weeks 1 and 2, what are the key attributes of the qualitative paradigm? Share your knowledge with your colleagues and
then check the examples.
Examples of key attributes of a qualitative paradigms

The research question in a qualitative design is broadly worded to reflect the essence of exploring, describing, or understanding a phenomenon. The
researcher initiates the study because he/she knows little about the phenomenon and wants to understand what is salient about it. However, prior to
beginning the research important preliminary decisions are made regarding the most appropriate qualitative methodology to answer the question.
Although specific design decisions may not be made in advance, the planning does include a decision about the research tradition or philosophy that
will guide the study. The study site and setting and the key gatekeepers for the study will all be identified. The length of time to complete both the
individual interviews and the entire data collection through to analysis and reporting will be determined also. The specific observations that will be
required to answer the question, the format of the interviews, the population to be sampled and the equipment for the interviews will be preplanned.
However, the process of the design such as the sampling and sample size determination and the interpretation of the data evolve throughout the
process. As such, qualitative designs are known as emergent designs---- the design emerges as the research process unfolds.
Therefore the characteristics of qualitative research are flexibility and elasticity. It is holistic in nature, inclusive of various data collection strategies.
There is intense involvement of the researcher; the researcher actually becomes the research instrument as subjectivity is embraced rather than
avoided. Analysis of data begins as the data is collected and continues throughout the research study.
The process for a qualitative study is not linear and discrete. Some steps in the process may overlap; data analysis begins before data collection is
complete. Interpretation of the data findings may indicate an adjustment to the original sample size; either smaller or larger. Even the interpretation of
the findings by the researcher may be preliminarily shared with the participants themselves for assessment of accuracy and thoroughness; or the
trustworthiness of the data, then the analysis will be revised to reflect the additional findings. At this point, the researcher may determine that more
focused inquiry and exploration through more in-depth interviews is also required and so the process continues. After confirmation of the analysis,
the study is brought to closure.

Pause and Reflect

Please respond to “Think about it” questions in the Discussion Board under Module 04.

Qualitative Design Features

What is a Research Design
A research design is the structure of the research process or how the study is conducted. This includes the methodology, instruments, procedures,
consent, data collection and data analysis. The choice of the most appropriate research design is dependent upon the nature of the research
purpose and question. There must be philosophical congruence between the beliefs of the researcher, the research purpose and question and the
research design. A quantitative, numeric, design will not answer a qualitative question that requires a rich narrative description of ideas.

Subjectivity versus Objectivity or Qualitative versus Quantitative.

You will recall that the philosophy of knowing for qualitative research is that multiple truths in the real world exist and that naturalistic, holistic
understandings are valued. It is therefore apparent that there is little if any conceptualization or control of variables in advance of the qualitative
study. The researcher’s goal is not to manipulate variables to remove the subjectivity of the participants, the researcher, the context or the
confounding factors. Rather, in qualitative research, these aspects enrich the data and the understanding of the phenomenon. Comparisons of
groups are not specifically planned nor is the researcher looking to determine causality between or among variables but rather to describe richly, in
narrative format, what is happening. The data collection may occur at a number of points; it may be cross-sectional or longitudinal, or may look at
events retrospectively or prospectively.

Qualitative Methodologies
There are several different qualitative methodologies, each premised upon its own philosophical approach or world perspective. They have their
basis in anthropology, sociology and psychology. This course will focus on five major qualitative methodologies: ethnography, phenomenology,
grounded theory and action research and critical social theory.

Group Discussions on Research Articles

Discussion
Research article 1.

for each of the following articles answer the questions below

Lintona, J., & Farrell, M. (2009).  Nurses’ perceptions of leadership in an adult
intensive care unit: A phenomenology study. Intensive and
Critical Care Nursing 25, 64-71.
 
Mizock, l., Russinova, Z., & Millner, U.
(2014). Acceptance of mental illness: Core components of a multifaceted
construct. Psychological
Services, 11,(1),
97-104. 
1. Identify and provide the rationale for the qualitative methodology used in the study.
2. Critically appraise the appropriateness or relevance of the design for the study purpose or question.
3. Describe the data collection methods and discuss for their appropriateness for this study,
4. Describe the research purpose and/or question.
5. Describe the target population.
6. Describe the study participants and setting.
7. Critically appraise the ethical considerations addressed in the study and/or ethical issues, not mentioned, but of importance for the
population.