Critical Appraisal of Qualitative Research - Assignment Example

Critical Appraisal of Qualitative Research Qualitative research is different from quantitative research, in the sense that while the latter gives greater emphasis on the numerical values which solidify the importance or the reliability of the data obtained, the former is more concerned over the creation of textual data such as formulation of new methodologies or making comparisons and contrasts of results from the experiment with those from other publications, making qualitative research more of a basic or a pioneering type of research (Glaser & Strauss, 2009; Holloway, 2005). In the process of qualitative inquiry, a wide variety of methods in collecting data is employed, with interviews considered to be one of the much well-used ones. However, it is easy to let in any form of bias when dealing with data obtained from interviews since it is possible for interviewers to influence the interviewees into answering questions rather different from what were expected (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). To maintain data untainted in any way, researchers and interviewers need to create questions in ways that would not affect the outcome through preconception of answers from the interviewees (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009). Using methods least-likely to affect the interviewees by allowing them to be themselves without necessitating them to change their attitudes and collecting data as soon as possible, biases or inconsistencies on interviewee data can be minimised. An approach on qualitative interviewing called phenomenological analysis has been devised so as to prevent such biases, wherein there is a need to find out the phenomenon of a lived experience by allowing researchers to take part into another individual’s experience and interpret these experiences based on their own and within their consciousness (Letts, et al., 2007; Smith, et al., 2009). Phenomenological analysis is concerned with collecting human experiences using philosophical principles and rationale in studying human experiences through various and vivid descriptions of each experience (Holloway, 2005). After the delivery of either a highly-specific or highly-generic question, collation of data is done through the assimilation of similarities and differences, and tallying the results so as to find out any factors that might have any effects on the experiences of the interviewees. By using a minimalist approach, interviewees are allowed to give much more focus on the effects or the impact of their own experiences rather than analysing the reasons on why they had these experiences in the first place (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). Reduction or bracketing in conducting interviews using the phenomenological analysis is considered so as to prevent any misconceptions or presuppositions on behalf of both parties. However the use of such an analysis is not considered to be an ultimate method in itself since phenomenological analysis does not employ any exacting style or process, thus it is considered to be an approach in obtaining data (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). With regards to specific methods, Grounded theory can be considered because it utilises methods of obtaining qualitative data via approaches such as phenomenological analysis in the identification of social processes in any given situation (Letts, et al., 2007; Mills, Bonner, & Francis, 2008; Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). However, similarities end here as grounded theory is not used in its entirety but instead is only employed as one of the methods used in order to obtain qualitative data, whereas phenomenological approach is seen as abstract and generalised concept in the process of theory formulation and analysis of qualitative information (Wimpenny & Gass, 2000). Thus, grounded theory can be employed as only one of the few methods to systematically obtain qualitative data, and phenomenological approach is the overall driving force. Due to the various complexities in analysis qualitative data, researches generated through phenomenological or any other approaches must be appraised properly (e.g. without overly-relying on quantitative research principles) in order for the ideas to gain or lose merit. In 2007, critical appraisal guidelines for qualitative researches were released to assist professionals and students in judging data quality of published qualitative researches. Qualitative research is more concerned with descriptive data, so there is a greater emphasis on assessing the validity and reliability of data using the published structure of the whole research process, the appropriateness of the research designs and methodologies used by the researchers, and if differences can be observed if the scenarios were repeated to another experimental group in another place or time (Holloway, 2005; Letts, et al., 2007). Application of guidelines when appraising qualitative researches allows scholars or professionals to evaluate whether or not the research is significant enough to contribute to the field. In this paper, an article on work ethics of geriatric nurses will be critically-appraised using the said guidelines. In 2011, L.L. Jonasson, P.E. Liss, B. Westerlind and C. Berterö published an article with the title Corroborating indicates nurses’ ethical values in a geriatric ward, with the purpose of identifying the apparent ethical values of nurses by observing them as they perform their duties and interact with the elderly patients, and interviewing them immediately after their duties (Jonasson, et al., 2011). With regards to the literature review of the study, the researchers did not make it as extensively as those seen in quantitative studies, that they have limitations due to the problems in describing ethics in caring practices such as nursing, and citing that ethics is a vague concept as compared to other principles of nursing such as autonomy and beneficence. However, this also helped further establish the need to understand how ethics play a strong role in nurses’ methods of providing care, especially in the case of geriatrics where issues such as patient autonomy, feelings of self-worth and dignity come as strong factors on whether or not nurses would be perceived to be caring personnel (Jonasson, et al., 2011). Understanding the human behaviour, in this case geriatric ward nurses’ ethical values and how they interact with the patients was the main focus of the researchers, and as mentioned in the article’s title, grounded theory is used as the study design in obtaining the views and experiences of the nurses in their duties, using interviews as the main means to obtain data. This study design is appropriate since it could assist in the formation of potential theories on how ethics work, especially since the researchers were very much interested on the core processes of how the overall values that the geriatric nurses affect their interaction with their patients as well as to how the patients interact with them in return, and by conducting interviews the researchers can get as much of the in-depth information about the issue being studied while being timely (Jonasson, et al., 2011; Letts, et al., 2007). The researchers kept the number of interview participants to a minimal since they will be conducting interviews as well as observations, but at the same time making sure that the age range, status, and experiences of the participants have a wide variety. There was also informed consent, both from the participants as well as the geriatric patients in the wards, keeping in line with the need for research works to be conducted as ethically as possible (Jonasson, et al., 2011). Follow-up interviews conducted in private were immediately conducted after each observation so as to prevent any loss of information, providing a strong procedural rigour. Lastly, the researchers also participated in the research process by providing assistance to the nurse participants, enabling an immersion process to better understand the situations that the nurses face every day (Jonasson, et al., 2011). The study’s overall vigour can be summarised using four components of trustworthiness: credibility; transferability; dependability; and confirmability (Letts, et al., 2007). The study’s credibility is enhanced through triangulation, by the combination of both interviewing as well as the observation of the participants in the study despite a small sample population (n=20) (Jonasson, et al., 2011; Letts, et al., 2007). It is also the same for the research’s transferability, as all patients regardless of age or condition need to feel that their health is taken care of properly, and nurses must be able to show them this caring attitude as well (Jonasson, et al., 2011; Letts, et al., 2007). The study is able to show dependability through the establishment of corroboration as an important aspect in the reception of a caring attitude with regards to the geriatric patients involved in the study, especially after the researchers were able to establish a relationship between a positive reception of patients to nurses and how these nurses were able to show their consideration based on their values (Jonasson, et al., 2011; Letts, et al., 2007). The confirmability of the research may be difficult to prove due to the study publishing all relevant information into one unit, but since the data were gathered by a research team, there are better chances that data interpretation and information collation were checked and audited by others, increasing the study’s confirmability (Jonasson, et al., 2011; Letts, et al., 2007). The study’s conclusions were able to synthesise the importance of the nurses’ experiences and values in providing care for their patients, which lead to the conclusion that nurses having corroborative attitudes such as consideration and connection with and caring for patients, and were able to display a caring attitude from the geriatric patients’ point of view (Jonasson, et al., 2011). The findings regarding the effect of the nurses’ values on how they interact with their patients can greatly contribute to the field, especially when the researchers’ theories are applied to other situations, such as in palliative care. In addition, the results are meaningful in the sense that professional issues can be improved through practice, and in the case of this research, through attitude changes nurses can improve how they provide care for others, especially among patients who value autonomy, dignity, and respect aside from the usual provision of care. References Glaser, B., & Strauss, A. (2009). The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Holloway, I. (2005). Qualitative research in health care. Berkshire: Open University Press. Jonasson, L. L., Liss, P. E., Westerlind, B., & Berterö, C. (2011). Corroborating indicates nurses’ ethical values in a geriatric ward. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 6, 7291-7299. Letts, L., Wilkins, S., Law, M., Stewart, D., Bosch, J., & Westmorland, M. (2007). Guidelines for critical review form: Qualitative studies (Version 2.0). McMaster University. Mills, J., Bonner, A., & Francis, K. (2008). The development of constructivist grounded theory. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 5(1), 25-35. Smith, J., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: theory, method and research. London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Wimpenny, P., & Gass, J. (2000). Interviewing in phenomenology and grounded theory: is there a difference? Journal of Advanced Nursing, 31(6), 1485-1492. Read More