Qualitative Research Appraisal

According to Schneider, Elliot, LoBiondo-Wood & Haber (2004), qualitative research methods, search for the meaning and understanding of human experiences in a naturalistic setting. A researcher obtains subjective facts in order to explore the experiences of each participant (Schneider, Elliot, LoBiondo-Wood & Haber 2004). As a result, qualitative research is a means in which a researcher gains an insight into the participant's point of view concerning their personal experiences; in order gain an understanding of the information given. Therefore this allows a researcher to collect subjective information to create a description of the phenomenon (Vishnevsky & Beanlands 2004).

Qualitative research is a foundation of information, which can improve nursing practice by increasing empathy within nursing staff, creating a new understanding how an illness may progress and improving quality practice methods (Jacelon & O'Dell 2006). By improving practice method, nursing staff can create a new understanding of how an illness may progress; therefore nursing staff may have an increase in empathy towards patients (Jacelon & O'Dell 2006). By nursing staff gaining an understanding of empathy and how an illness can progress is beneficial to the patient, family and nursing staff.

Undertaking a qualitative research study of participants' experiences living day to day with bladder cancer can increase the knowledge, empathy and practice methods of nursing staff (Beitz & Zuzelo 2003). By having this insight and understanding of how a patient lives with this illness, nursing staff will have an increase in empathy, which will better their holistic nursing practice methods.

Qualitative research requires various methodologies. The author will compare and contrast three of the methodologies involved within qualitative research.

Cultural knowledge is examined by using an ethnographic research approach (Schneider et al 2004). Anthropologists, who study humankind, developed ethnographic research.

According to Schneider et al (2004) cultural knowledge is described as knowledge that is learnt, shared and understood by every member of a group. A group refers to a number of people, more often than not greater than twenty, that share the same customs and experiences (Vishnevsky & Beanlands 2004). When conducting an ethnographic research, data is collected by the use of field notes, observation and interviews with in a naturalistic setting (Jacelon & O'Dell 2006). The use of ethnographic research can be used with in the nursing practise setting to study the interaction of a group of people with in certain environments. For example, the ethnographic study by Mantzoukas & Jasper (2004) explored the impact of organizational culture on reflective practice of a group of nurses working on the wards. The ethnographic study was aimed to provide an insight to how nurses work with in the organization on a culture, spiritual and emotional level. The cultural sample of an ethnographic study is the major difference between ethnography, phenomenology and grounded theory.

Phenomenology in qualitative research study relates to information regarding the actual experience that has been lived by individuals (Schneider et al 2004). According to Schneider et al (2004), purposeful sampling is used to choose specific individuals who have experienced the phenomena being studied. Phenomenological study differs from ethnography and grounded theory.

Phenomenological study entails a reflection of an individual's experience (not a group) and sample sizes are in most cases smaller than ethnographic studies and grounded theory (Russell & Gregory 2003). For example, a phenomenological study by Muller & Thompson (2003) was conducted to explore the personal experiences of nine people who where experiencing grief after bereavement. The researchers interviewed each person with open-ended questions and written notes and tape recordings collected the information.

According to Schneider et al (2004), the aim of grounded theory is to understand and explain human behaviour by exploring social, psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of life and allowing the participant voice to control the understanding of information given. For example, a grounded theory study by Spinewine, Swine, Dhillon, Franklin, Tulkens, Wilmotte & Lorant (2005), was conducted to uncover appropriateness of use of medicines in elderly inpatients. The researchers found that nursing staff, pharmacists and geriatricians agreed that prescribing of medications and counselling of patients was insufficient and the data that was shared with the medical officer upon discharge was not adequate. Grounded theory focuses on a group, not individuals and is larger than ethnographic and phenomenological methods.

There are strengths and weaknesses within each qualitative methodology. Qualitative research within the nursing environment deals with people / patients feelings, beliefs, cultures and past experiences. The strengths that come from dealing with the above are an increased empathy of nurses towards their patient's holistic care (Schneider et al 2004). Weakness found within qualitative research according to Schneider et al (2004) can be linked to poor research questions, inappropriate method used, inaccurate data collection and analysis.

The Study

The study by Maclean N, Pound P, Wolfe C and Rudd A (2000), was designed to identify attitudes and beliefs of stroke patients that have been recognized by professionals as experiencing "high" or "low" motivation for rehabilitation.

Semi-structured interviews were used for this study. As sited in Schneider et al (2004), Minichiello, Aroni, Timewell & Alexander (1995) state semi-structured interviews are less tailored, but the interview is performed using the unstructured interview process. With the unstructured interviewing it is thought to be a conversation rather than an interview according to Burgess (1984) (sited in Schneider et al 2004).

Semi-structured interviews allow the interviewer to have some questions to be asked but it also allows the patient to bring up a new line of conversation to be discussed therefore the patient has some control over the interview (Maclean et al 2000). This type of interviewing was relevant and appropriate to meet the purpose of this study.

Ethical issues are of paramount importance when doing any research that involves human volunteers. Ethical issues include such things as personal privacy, written consent and protection from harm. Maclean et al (2000) gained permission from patients, family members, professional and the medical officer. To the author, it