Qualitative research is vital in healthcare and nursing practice. This type of study can be done by assessing the needs of both patients and nurses through monitoring their experiences and how they relate with each other. The aim of using qualitative research by nurses is to come up with informed clinical decisions and strategize on how best to care for patients. Some of the qualitative methods employed in qualitative research include ethnography, grounded theory, and phenomenology. Moreover, ethical considerations, such as informed consent and confidentiality, must be taken into account while conducting a qualitative study. In this way, the researcher ensures that the freedom of the study participants is not intruded. This paper will look into two samples of qualitative, peer-reviewed research; explain ways in which the findings might be used in nursing practice and address ethical considerations associated with the conduct of the study.
The first study is titled ‘Exploring Nurse’s Communicative Role in Nurse-Patient Relations: A Qualitative Study’ by Fakhr-Movahedi published in 2016. The research aimed at investigating the role of nurses in nurse-patient relations (Fakhr-Movahedi et al., 2016). From the title, the study took a qualitative approach, and data was analyzed using content analysis method. Furthermore, the study was conducted at a referral hospital in Iran, and the respondents included 11 nurses, 12 patients, and their kin in surgical and medical wards. Morse & M (2016) emphasized on the need to include family members in determining patient’s needs. The researchers collected data through observation and semi-structured interview.
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Through data analysis, the researchers discovered a main conceptual category, which is the patient’s need-based communication. In effect, the needs of patients directed the communication of nurses (Weiss et al., 2016). This category came up from two other categories, which were recognizing patients’ needs, such as their problems, inquiring about their health status and monitoring their health status. Secondly, it derived from the communicative actions towards patients’ needs which included caring attention, giving informal education and advice to the patient about their conditions, stimulating tranquility to the patient and gaining the patient’s trust. The study concluded that the communicative role of nurses in relating to patients is devised according to the patient’s needs. Thus, if the needs of patients are identified and addressed accordingly, the nurse-patient relationship will improve. Consequently, the quality of care will be advanced. This research is, therefore, relevant to nursing practice in decision making and planning care for patients.
Additionally, the researchers considered ethical issues in their study. To begin with, they gave a detailed clarification of the aim of the research to all participants. Moreover, the researchers emphasized the right to confidentiality, anonymity, and privacy; and also the right to pull out from the study whenever they desire without any consequences. King et al. (2018) identified these rights as ethical considerations for interviews in qualitative research.
The second and final qualitative study conducted in Central Greece by Papaspurou et al. and published in 2015 is titled ‘Fears and Health Needs of Patients with Diabetes: A Qualitative Research in Rural Population.’ The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health requirements and self-care problems faced by diabetic patients daily, particularly the ones using insulin (Papaspurou et al. , 2015). To be specific, the study used a phenomenological approach. The study sampled 15 diabetic patients depending on insulin who gave an account of their fears and their needs. Further, Mayering method was used to process data.
Notably, insulin-dependent patients (Diabetes Type II patients) have to adapt to living and countering resultant fears such as fears for life, family, work, complications, and stigmatization; and health needs, for instance, need for psychological support, training and technique learning and knowledge about hypoglycemia. In order for such patients to adapt to their sickness, they need proper nursing care in the early stages as it enables them to accept their condition and in identifying and managing complications early. In analyzing the patients’ tales, the researchers established that such patients experienced an array of fears and needs linked to diagnosis, treatment, probable consequences, and daily management of the illness. As such, the patients needed care, education, and psychological anchorage to recognize and check hypoglycemia. From the study, insulin-dependent patients encounter fear and needs in their everyday life. Therefore, caregivers or nurses aim at improving the health of these patients while educating and training them on self-care.
Moreover, these patients need close monitoring for continuous evaluation and continuous provision of information on new medication and treatment techniques and new forms of insulin, among other advancements and permanent information. This study is therefore relevant in nursing practice to identify the specific fears and needs of individual insulin-dependent patients to come up with routine-care plans for these patients.
Regarding the ethical considerations taken into account, the patients were asked whether they were willing to participate or not, meaning all participants obliged out of their consent. Also, the researchers explained the reason for the interviews verbally to the participants. Furthermore, the researchers allowed the participants to withdraw when they wanted to as the latter were less willing to participate as the final stages of the interview approached. Alase & A. (2017) stated these issues as ethical considerations as part of the right approach to qualitative research.
In conclusion, the predominant issue in nursing brought out above is caregiving. Also, patients have different needs and fears, especially for those with chronic illnesses that as Diabetes Type II. Therefore, quantitative research studies are useful in nursing and healthcare in determining the needs of patients and developing plans to care for them as depicted by the two studies. About the participants of a study, the ethical considerations to take into account include the right to confidentiality, anonymity and privacy; and the right to withdrawal from the study.
References
Alase, A. (2017). The interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA): A guide to a good qualitative research approach. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 5(2), 9-19.
Fakhr-Movahedi, A., Rahnavard, Z., Salsali, M., & Negarandeh, R. (2016). Exploring nurse’s communicative role in nurse-patient relations: a qualitative study. Journal of caring sciences, 5(4), 267.
Holloway, I., & Galvin, K. (2016). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare. John Wiley & Sons.
King, N., Horrocks, C., & Brooks, J. (2018). Interviews in qualitative research. SAGE Publications Limited.
Morse, J. M. (2016). Qualitative health research: Creating a new discipline. Routledge
Papaspurou, M., Laschou, V. C., Partsiopoulou, P., Fradelos, E. C., Kleisiaris, C. F., Kalota, M. A., ... & Papathanasiou, I. V. (2015). Fears and health needs of patients with diabetes: A qualitative research in rural population. Medical Archives, 69(3), 190.
Weiss, S. M., Malone, R. E., Merighi, J. R., & Benner, P. (2016). Economism, efficiency, and the moral ecology of good nursing practice. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive, 34(2).
