Qualitative research: a source of evidence to inform nursing practice?

established definitions and theory), focuses on focuses on participants’ perspectives, and describes the results using expressive and persuasive language (Creswell, 1998). Qualitative research has some distinct characteristics (Flick et al, 2004), including: there is no single all-encompassing method, but a spectrum of methods from which one can be chosen depending on the research question it has a strong orientation to everyday life and events data are collected in their natural context; there is no attempt to change the research situation or control it the diversity of participant responses is valuable the role of the researcher is important: the ability of the researcher to reflect upon what he/she is seeing or hearing is part of the research process rather than something to be excluded the crux of the investigation is understanding complex relationships rather than explaining a single relationship; there is no attempt to demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship data are gathered by flexible, openended methods; there is no rigid questionnaire or grid individual situations may be analysed before group themes or summaries are developed. T here is no universally accepted definition of qualitative research, because it is a field of enquiry rather than a single entity. Qualitative research is a broad term for a variety of research approaches, just as quantitative research is not a single entity but encompasses a variety of research designs, such as clinical trials and surveys. For the purposes of this paper, the definition by Creswell (1998) is included: