Reference no: EM133875600

Question

Qualitative and quantitative research methods, also known as mixed methods approach is growing in the field of health and nursing. Also, according to experts, using both types of methods provides a holistic approach, and adds depth to the research in one study itself. Instead of having to do two separate research projects, mixed methods can facilitate evidence-based nursing research in just one project itself. Hence, proving it to be more efficient in terms of time management, as well as being cost effective for evidence-based nursing research.(Morse, 2017b). For example, "a single project could qualitatively describe a patient's illness or nursing experience, along with a quantitative psychological aspect. On the other hand, the mixed-methods project may quantitatively measure various physiological parameters and include a qualitative description of the experience."(Morse, 2017b).

According to Thompson, L., & V Ivankova, N. (2022), "mixed-methods research (MMR) has the potential to improve the knowledge and implementation of evidence-based nursing (EBN) by generating outcome-based and contextually-focused evidence. Additionally, Mixed-methods research has great potential to enhance EBN research by generating more clinically useful findings and helping nurses understand how to identify and implement the best available research evidence in practice."

While there are various advantages as stated in the above paragraph in regards to using mixed methods in nursing study, there are various disadvantages as well. Mixed methods can take a longer time frame and is labor intensive. In other words most researchers are either qualitative or quantitative driven, hence , in a mixed methods more than one researcher or sometimes an entire team is required. Additionally, there could be conflicts in the sampling methods while using both qualitative and quantitative methods which can make it more complex and time consuming.(Morse, 2017b).

According to Morse (2017b), an example of a nursing practice problem that could be studied using a mixed methods approach is: Exploring a nursing study on the effect of alarms on the Intensive care unit(ICU) patient's. The qualitative and quantitative components in this study includes:

1. What effect does noise in the ICU have on the patient? This question demands measurement of the noise, and the physiological measurement of the patient when the alarms sounded (i.e., a QUAN + quan design).

2. What is the experience of noise in the ICU for the patient? This is a qualitative question (QUAL), with measurement of the number of alarms and their intensity (+ quan) providing a contextual description.

3. What is the effect of ICU noise on the patient's perceived quality of sleep? (A QUAL + qual design).

4. What is the effect of nurses' alarm fatigue (QUAN) on the patient's care experience (qual)?