Article: Van Oostveen, C. J., Mathijssen, E., & Vermeulen, H. (2015). Nurse Staffing Issues are Just the tip of the Iceberg: A Qualitative Study About Nurses’ Perceptions of Nurse Staffing. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 52(8), 1300-1309. http://daneshyari.com/article/preview/1076172.pdf According to Polit & Beck (2017), the primary parameters of evaluating a qualitative research article include the research methods, the research design and its tradition, the setting and sampling methods, data collection and measurement, procedures, and ethics and protections of human rights. The Van Oostveen, Mathijssen & Vermeulen (2015) study uses qualitative methodology to examine the Dutch nurses’ perceptions of staff-to-patient ratio, staffing levels, and also the patient classification system. The research was motivated by preliminary studies showing that staffing levels have become low enough to potentially endanger patient safety. Ultimately, the researchers found that nurses perceive their role in the hospital as being subordinate, which is exacerbating existing tensions and staffing problems.

Research Methods

The descriptive phenomenological approach uses multiple methods of data collection including focus groups and interviews. The Managing Complex Change model was used to generate topical questions for the focus groups and interviews. Using an established model helped add validity to the study.

Research Design and Tradition

Phenomenology is the tradition underlying this research. The researchers were interested in the lived experiences of nurses at a Dutch hospital. Specifically, a descriptive phenomenological design is used in this in depth case study of a 1000-bed Dutch university hospital. The researchers employ multiple methods in order to detect common concerns or themes among the...

Focus group and interview data was then “cross-pollinated,” (p. 1300).
Setting and Sampling

The population sample was taken from one Dutch hospital including twenty-four different wards and five areas of clinical specialization. Different methods were used to select the samples for the interviews and the focus groups. The authors used a convenience sample to select the forty-four participants in the focus groups. Their head nurse supervisors also nominated each of the focus group participants. Therefore, the sampling method detracts somewhat from the validity of the results.

However, the researchers also attempted to gain as much diversity in their population sample by ensuring gender diversity and diversity in terms of level of education and experience. The authors used purposive sampling methods for the twenty-seven in-depth interview subjects. The researchers selected twenty head nurses, four nursing directors, and three policy advisors, selecting also on the basis of maximizing diversity in the sample.

Data Collection and Measurement

Data was collected over the course of several months between September and December 2012. One researcher served as moderator and another as note-taker, but audio recordings were used to collect the data for both focus groups and interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using MAXQDA version 11. The researchers used codes to detect thematic categories. The researchers made sure to triangulate their findings to maximize validity and reliability.

Procedures

Different procedures were used for the interviews and the focus groups. Focus groups were held during the last hour of the day shift, between 3 and 4 PM. The researchers used a “brown paper session” to write down the discussion questions, allotting ten minutes…