Critiquing Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research Methods

Introduction to Research Methodology Critique

Recruiting study participants and collecting and analyzing data are important markers of research credibility and integrity. In quantitative research, the major components of methodology include research design, population and sampling, ethics, data collection, and procedures. The appropriate research design, sample size, and data collection instrument must be selected (Coughlan, Cronin & Ryan, 2007).

Quantitative Study Methods: Haemodialysis Nurses and Burnout

Hayes, Douglas, and Bonner's (2015) study took the form of a cross-sectional design. Though this design tends to be less costly compared to other quantitative designs, there can be difficulties in determining cause-and-effect relationships. As the population of the study was haemodialysis nurses, the sample was recruited from the Renal Society of Australasia (RSA), which has approximately 1,300 members, 95% of whom are nurses. Overall, 417 nurses were included in the sample, representing an appropriate proportion of the target population.

Ethical Considerations in Quantitative Research

Ethical concerns must also be addressed when conducting quantitative research. This entails obtaining approval from the relevant authorities, upholding individual autonomy, and protecting participants from physical and psychological harm (Coughlan, Cronin & Ryan, 2007). The RSA's Federal Board and the university's Human Research Ethics Committee granted permission to conduct the study. In addition, the purpose of the study was clearly communicated to participants, and their informed consent was obtained.

Data Collection Instruments and Survey Administration

The survey was administered online, with reminders to complete it provided during branch meetings. Administering a survey online can significantly reduce the time and costs associated with data collection, which is particularly important when participants are geographically dispersed, as was the case in this study.

The survey focused on five major variables, which were clearly identified in the methodology section: demographic and work characteristics, work environment, job satisfaction, job stress, and burnout. Four standardized instruments were used to collect the data: the Brisbane Practice Environment Scale, the Index for Work Satisfaction, the Nursing Stress Scale, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. Overall, the methods used in the study demonstrate adherence to standard research practice.

Qualitative Study Methods: Psychiatric Nurses and Burnout

Some issues are more effectively addressed via qualitative methods as opposed to quantitative methods (Lee, 2006). In the case of Ahanchian, Meshkinyazd, and Soudmand's (2015) study, the aim was to understand the experiences of psychiatric nurses regarding burnout, making a qualitative methodology appropriate. The study took the form of an interpretive phenomenological design. As psychiatric nurses were the target population, a sample of 12 nurses was recruited from various psychiatric hospitals across Mashhad, Iran.

The participants were selected via purposive sampling, which involves selecting individuals the researcher believes are best positioned to provide the required information. As explained by Lee (2006), the sampling strategy in qualitative research should focus on selecting subjects who have encountered the phenomenon under study — which is why random sampling is rare in qualitative research.

Data were collected using in-depth, unstructured, face-to-face interviews. A researcher working within the qualitative tradition should cultivate a close relationship with subjects (Lee, 2006), and the unstructured, face-to-face interview format was an ideal way to achieve such rapport. The interviews lasted between 60 and 90 minutes. The relevant ethical considerations were addressed before conducting the interviews, and participants were invited to take part voluntarily, demonstrating respect for their consent and rights.