Qualitative Study Analysis
Qualitative research is primarily exploratory research that seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the problem and its underlying reasons through open-ended questions. The critical disadvantage of qualitative data is the fact that it is not a statistically representative form of data collection, which makes it difficult to measure and replicate. Nevertheless, qualitative research is valuable for providing insight in a flexible, detailed, and humanistic way (Streubert Speziale & Rinaldi Carpenter, 2011). Bramley & Matiti (2014) used a qualitative exploratory, descriptive approach to explore patient experiences and perceptions of compassion within nursing care.
The study used in-depth semi-structured interviews on a sample of ten patients to collect data. From the survey, Bramley & Matiti (2014) were able to collect data that centered around three key themes. The first was the meaning of compassion from the perspective of the study participants. The second was the compassionate impact care, or lack thereof had on the participants. The third was how the participants believed nursing could be more sympathetic. This data helped the researchers develop recommendations that are relevant to clinical practice and can be used to increase compassion in nursing care.
If this study were to be replicated by a different investigator, the conclusions would be very different. For one, the study participants were all selected from the same healthcare institution, meaning they interacted with the same nurses. A replicated study in a different healthcare organization would result in different perceptions and experiences. The role of the researchers in interviewing and asking follow-up questions also determines the type of data collected. Furthermore, because this study is founded on individual perspectives, it is almost impossible to derive the same conclusions, even if the same participants were used. These research findings are, therefore, not transferrable at all.