Please post your PICOT question from the Module 2 Discussion. What is the best research method to answer your question? Be sure to note that a \”qualitative design\” does not relate to quality (e.g., quality of life outcomes). It is a method that uses open-ended questions (rather than close-ended questions used in quantitative studies). The intent for both qualitative and quantitative methods it to improve quality care outcomes.
NSG 502: Week 4
Institution
Course
Instructor’s Name
Date
NSG 502: Week 4
The PICOT question
In hospitalized patients with limited mobility, how does the use of alternating pressure air mattresses compared to no intervention affect the rates of pressure ulcers within six months?
Discussion
The primary role of a nurse is that of a caregiver and an advocate for their patients. However, nursing roles have expanded, providing them with the opportunity to contribute to the healthcare industry in other critical ways. Nursing research is a good example of how nurses can make a significant contribution to healthcare (Abuhamda et al., 2021). The two main methods of research study include qualitative and quantitative approaches. A qualitative approach is the best research method to answer the above research question. It is important to note that qualitative design does not relate to quality (quality of life outcomes). The qualitative method is used to discover patterns in ideas and views, whereas quantitative research is used to measure the issue by producing numerical data or data that can be translated into usable statistics (Abuhamda et al., 2021). That is the main difference between the two research methods.
According to Hennink et al. (2020), the qualitative research method entails the use of qualitative data such as observations, documents, and interviews to understand a specific phenomenon. The choice of a research method is normally made based on the research objectives. Qualitative research is also called exploratory and is often used to discover patterns in views and ideas, as opposed to quantitative which is used to measure the issue by generating numerical data (or data that can be translated to usable statistics) (Abuhamda et al., 2021). Several methods can be used in conducting qualitative research. Action research or experimental research that involves investigating changes is the main method (Hennink et al., 2020). Others include case studies, ethnography, grounded theory, and content analysis.
The collected information from a qualitative research method must be analyzed and organized properly to extract key findings from the research work. However, there is no single right way to analyze qualitative data (Hennink et al., 2020). Different researchers have proposed various methods for qualitative data analysis. Even so, there are particular common procedures used to analyze qualitative data. For example, a researcher starts with a large body of knowledge and information and employs inductive reasoning to sort and categorize and make it precise with key themes.
Data collection in the qualitative research method includes observation, interviews, and the use of questionnaires. Observation is a systematic way of watching and listening to a situation or phenomenon as it occurs (Hennink et al., 2020). It is the best method of data collection if the researcher is interested in behavior rather than the perception of the respondents. Interviews entail collecting information from people based on their perceptions. The two types of interviews include structured and unstructured interviews. Using questionnaires is one of the most common techniques for data collection (Hennink et al., 2020). It provides a list of questions that the respondent is required to answer.
Qualitative research has several advantages. It includes all the needed resources that can elicit a memory to help in solving problems (Abuhamda et al., 2021). Hence, qualitative data methods such as evaluation, open-ended questions, in-depth interviews (audio or video), and field notes are used to gather data from participants in their natural environments. Also, the qualitative method is simple and easy to use, analyze, and understand.
References
Abuhamda, E., Ismail, I. A., & Bsharat, T. R. K. (2021). Understanding quantitative and qualitative research methods: A theoretical perspective for young researchers. International Journal of Research, 8(2), 71-87. https://doi.org/10.2501/ijmr-201-5-070
Hennink, M., Hutter, I., & Bailey, A. (2020). Qualitative research methods. Sage.