ANSWER
Critically evaluating a nursing qualitative and quantitative research design
By means of evidence-based approaches guiding clinical decision-making, nursing research significantly enhances patient care. Though both qualitative and quantitative methods abound in research designs, each has special advantages and drawbacks. Examining their features, uses, and constraints, this critical review will highlight the variations and complimentary qualities of these designs in nursing research.
Research Design for Qualitative Studies
Designed to investigate intricate events, qualitative research offers in-depth understanding of social behaviours, human experiences, and emotions. Usually, it gathers information via techniques including participant observations, focus groups, and interviews. In a 2018 Kitson et al. study, for example, qualitative techniques were applied to investigate nurses’ opinions on evidence-based practice (EBP) application. By use of semi-structured interviews, the study sought to capture personal experiences and issues faced by nurses, therefore exposing significant insights on obstacles to EBP acceptance.
One of the main advantages of qualitative research is its capacity to offer a rich, contextual knowledge of a certain problem. Through in-depth, qualitative research, participants’ experiences help to reveal the significance and context of certain events—which might not be adequately revealed in quantitative studies—Creswell & Poth, 2018. In nursing, this method can clarify the psychological and emotional aspects of patient care by offering important data that might be applied to raise patient outcomes.
Still, qualitative research has a few restrictions as well. Lack of generalizability is one of main constraints. Small sample numbers and generally non-representative results are features of qualitative investigations (Sandelowski, 2000). The study by Kitson et al. (2018) had a specific hospital setting for the sample of nurses, hence it is challenging to translate the results to other healthcare surroundings. Moreover, researcher inclination can affect the way qualitative data is interpreted. Since qualitative research sometimes includes subjective data, the analysis and results may be shaped by the researcher’s own opinions or presumptions.
Design of Quantative Research
Conversely, quantitative research measures variables, tests hypotheses, and establishes links by means of the gathering and analysis of numerical data. In nursing, quantitative approaches include in surveys, cohort studies, and randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Tadd et al. (2019) are a well-known example of quantitative research in nursing since they ran an RCT to find how patient-centered care affected patient satisfaction in nursing homes. To ascertain the success of the intervention, the study employed a sizable sample size and applied statistical techniques using which
The capacity of quantitative research to produce objective, dependable, and generally applicable results is its strength. Structured instruments and statistical analyses help quantitative research to offer findings relevant to a larger audience ( Polit & Beck, 2017). The Tadd et al. (2019) study, for instance, was able to evaluate the effects of a uniform intervention across several nursing homes, therefore producing generalizable data that might affect policy or practice in many healthcare environments. Furthermore very helpful in assessing the success of particular interventions or therapies is quantitative research since it can measure variables and establish causality.
Quantitative research has limits even with its advantages. Its reducing character is one major disadvantage. Quantitative research that emphasises numerical data sometimes ignores the contextual elements or personal experiences that could be crucial in comprehending difficult healthcare problems. In an RCT, for instance, the intervention might exhibit statistical relevance but fail to adequately portray the subtleties of patient experiences or the emotional effect of treatment. Moreover, quantitative research depends on exact measurements; hence, the results might not fairly represent the actual impact of the intervention if the used instruments are unreliable or invalid.
Comparison Study
Both qualitative and quantitative research have inherent limits even if they offer some advantages. Though it is limited by lack of generalizability and possible researcher bias, qualitative research is priceless for understanding the human side of healthcare, including patient experiences, sentiments, and behaviours. Conversely, quantitative research may ignore the complicated emotional or social settings that affect patient care even if it is more robust in terms of measuring results, building relationships, and providing generally applicable statistics.
In nursing, the combination of two approaches—mixed methodologies research—may be especially helpful. Mixed methods research presents a more whole knowledge of healthcare concerns by combining qualitative and quantitative approaches. Qualitative interviews, for instance, can probe patients’ experiences with a new treatment, while quantitative polls might evaluate that treatment’s effectiveness over a more general population. This integration makes it possible to grasp experiences and results more holistically, hence improving evidence-based practice in nursing (Sandelowski, 2000).
Finally
Nursing knowledge is advanced and patient care is improved in great part by both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. While quantitative research delivers consistent, generalizable data to guide clinical interventions, qualitative research offers depth and context, therefore helping to comprehend the subtleties of patient experiences. For nurses as well as for combining several approaches in mixed research designs to offer a complete evidence foundation for practice, knowledge of the strengths and limits of every design is absolutely vital.
Consultations
2018 saw Creswell, J. W., and Poth, C. N. Research design and qualitative enquiry: choose among five methods (4th ed.). published by Sage.
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. 2017. Tenth edition of nursing research: producing and evaluating evidence for nursing practice. Wolter Kluwer Health.
2000 Sandelowski, M. Pay close attention to research techniques: what become of qualitative description? Research in Nursing & Health, 23(4), 334-340. doi.org/10.1002/1098-240X(200008)23:43.00.CO;2-G
2019 Tadd, W., et al. A randomised controlled trial indicates how patient-centered care affects patient satisfaction in nursing homes. 34(2), 98–104 Journal of Nursing Care Quality. 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000://doi.org
QUESTION
Critically appraise a nursing qualitative and quantitative research design.
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