Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research Discussion

Qualitative and quantitative nursing research is significant in collecting data that can be used to improve patient care and outcomes. This paper compares and contrasts the differences in purpose and data analysis methods between quantitative and qualitative nursing research. Also included in the paper are examples of research questions for each type of research. Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research Discussion

Differences in Purpose and Data Analysis Methods between Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research

Both quantitative and qualitative nursing research help identify the impact of practice and areas for improvement. However, the types of research differ in purpose and data analysis methods. Quantitative nursing research generally focuses on measuring and understanding relationships between variables, whereas the purpose of qualitative nursing research is to develop an understanding of the meanings and experiences of individuals (Astroth & Chung, 2018). Quantitative nursing research often uses large data sets and statistical methods to analyze the data. The results of quantitative nursing research can be used to develop best practices, guidelines, and protocols for nursing care. However, qualitative nursing research aims to explore and understand the experiences of nurses and patients. This research type is essential to improve the quality of care that nurses provide. Additionally, qualitative research provides insight into how patients and nurses perceive the health care system (Ahmadidarrehsima et al., 2022). Qualitative research can also provide valuable data for developing new nursing interventions. Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research Discussion

Regarding the data analysis methods, quantitative research typically uses statistical methods to analyze data (Cathala & Moorley, 2018). However, qualitative research data analysis involves examining and interpreting patterns in textual data to help answer the research question. Data analysis is making sense of data by identifying trends, patterns, or themes. The data analyzed in quantitative analysis methods are numbers-based such as the number of nurses quitting practice annually, or data that can be expressed in numbers, such as gender (categorical variable). Qualitative nursing research typically employs one or more data analysis methods. In qualitative nursing research, data analysis usually involves the researcher’s observations and examination of textual data to find patterns or frequencies (Squires & Dorsen, 2018). Other data analysis methods are narrative analysis to find meaning and thematic analysis to determine themes. Sources of qualitative data include interviews, focus groups, and written texts.

Examples of a Research Question

A quantitative research question might be: “What is the relationship between nurses’ perceptions of job satisfaction and patient satisfaction?” A qualitative research question might be: “What are the experiences of nurses who work in high-stress patient-care areas?” Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research Discussion

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References

Ahmadidarrehsima, S., Salari, N., Dastyar, N., & Rafati, F. (2022). Exploring the experiences of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19: a qualitative study in Iran. BMC nursing, 21(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00805-5

Astroth, K. S., & Chung, S. Y. (2018). Focusing on the fundamentals: Reading quantitative research with a critical eye. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 45(3), 283-287.

Cathala, X., & Moorley, C. (2018). How to appraise quantitative research. Evidence-based nursing, 21(4), 99-101. https://sci-hub.mksa.top/10.1136/eb-2018-102996

Squires, A., & Dorsen, C. (2018). Qualitative research in nursing and health professions regulation. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 9(3), 15-26.

Discussion Prompt

Compare and contrast the differences in purpose and data analysis methods between quantitative and qualitative nursing research. Provide two examples of a research question, one question for each type of research, that you might wish to investigate in your future advanced nursing role.

Expectations

Citations: At least four high-level scholarly peer-reviewed references in APA format from within the last 5 years
Students, please read through the discussion prompt to ensure all questions are answered correctly. Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research Discussion