Nursing research begins with a health issue that nurses know little about or need a new perspective on. Before beginning any type of study, researchers must choose a method that matches its aims and objectives. For example, if the study topic is understanding the experiences of elderly people in geriatric care, a qualitative approach is appropriate. If the study is examining the role of hydration in pressure ulcer prevention, a quantitative method may be selected.
Qualitative research is based on the experiences and perspective of the subject. Ethnography seeks to understand a health or nursing issue by examining a population's patterns of behavior and way of life through direct observation or interview. Phenomenological analysis enables nurses to hear and understand the experiences of participants through their own in-depth accounts. Grounded theory is similar to phenomenology in that subjects describe what happened and the reasons for it. Data may be obtained through interview, observations, health records or a combination of those methods.
In quantitative nursing research, the approach is an objective process that uses data to make generalizations from a study sample to a target population or to analyze cause and effect relationships. Cohort studies select people in a population that share a common risk factor and examines their past health history or follows them forward in time to analyze the progression of illness. Randomized controlled trials feature two groups of subjects who receive variations in the type or intensity of treatment.
Because of its subjective nature, qualitative nursing researchers must guard against becoming "enmeshed" with participants and influencing responses or nursing biases to impact data interpretation. Quantitative investigators must take care not to dismiss data that varies from the majority findings as "deviant cases," which can distort findings. Using more than one researcher helps ensure the integrity of results and can lead to a richer understanding of a particular health issue and better treatment options