Qualitative Research
NUR/518 Julie Angileri Professor Margaret Colucciello
Purpose of Study
The purpose of the study, Nurses' beliefs, experiences and practice regarding complimentary and alternative medicine in Taiwan, was to study nurse’s perspective regarding the use and application of complimentary and alternative medicines, CAMs. Complimentary and alternative medicine was defined as Chinese medicine, homeopathic medicine, meditation and hypnotherapy, herbs and aromatherapy, chiropracty and osteopathy, and energy therapies such as quigong and therapeutic touch.
Research design analyzed
This was an “exploratory, descriptive, qualitative research design” (Smith & Wu, 2012). This study was completed in a qualitative design method for exploratory reasons. This exact subject, nurse attitudes toward CAMs, had not been studied, and there was much to learn about complimentary medicine and nursing attitudes, thus warranting a qualitative research study.
Identifying if Participants and Setting are Consistent with Qualitative Methods
The study was conducted in an interview format at a major hospital. The participants were nurses who worked on the floor providing direct patient care. The sample consisted of all female nurses with a large range of experiences, from four months to 15 years. This is a sample of the nursing population in Taiwan and could provide data to generate additional study questions.
Identification of Whether Data Collection Methods are Consistent with the Purpose
The sample size was dictated by the data collected. When interviewers received repeats of the information sought they discontinued the interview process, believing that there was little benefit to gathering additional data. This process is called "inductive and interative" analysis (Smith & Wu, 2012). Considering the purpose, this is sufficient for data collection.
Data Analysis Procedures are Appropriate
Data analysis was completed by interviews which were then transcribed. Each interview was completed by the same individual which reduced any possible variance. Once transcribed, the data was analyzed and coded. Common themes were given a code, such as “not enough information” and “not in scope of practice” (Smith & Wu, 2012). Common themes were then analyzed. This is common use of data in the qualitative study.
Rigor
In addressing rigor, the author repeated what the interviewee stated to be sure they correctly understood the information being conveyed; this provided validity. The author carefully selected the research method to use, finding that qualitative was the best for this specific situation. Rigor was based on Brooks' “heightened preoccupation can ameliorate the potential effect of bias” (Smith & Wu, 2012).
Conclusions
The conclusion highlights the lack of education for nurses regarding CAMs. Most nurses felt they didn’t have proper education to comment on CAM, most stating it is not only outside their scope of practice, but voiced concerns about safe practice. The perception that some of the practices in place, including some Chinese traditional medicine such as acupuncture should not be considered CAM since in Taiwan this was common practice. Further it was discovered that medical professionals felt there was limited scientific evidence to support many CAMs and felt there needed to be more studies to support their use.
Implications for Future Research Are Analyzed
Future research may include analyzing on a larger scale, the attitudes and knowledge of nurses about CAMs. Additional concept studies could study the desire of nurses to implement CAMs in daily practice, and how to best educate them about CAMs. Formal education opportunities could come in the form of continuing education, and integration into the undergraduate curriculum.
Reference
Smith, G. D., & Wu, S. (2012, September). Nurses' beliefs, experiences and practice regarding complimentary and alternative medicine in Taiwan. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 21(17/18), 2659-2667.