“As qualitative research methods achieve ever-wider currency… we need to apply a critical and reflexive gaze. We cannot afford to let qualitative research become a set of taken for granted precepts and procedures. Equally, we should not be so seduced by our collective success or radical chic of new strategies of social research as to neglect the need for methodological rigour” (Holloway & Galvin, 2016).

Qualitative research aims to develop an understanding or interpretation of groups, cultures, or individuals. This research relies on connections and relationships to explore complex emotions and actions of participants, and as such, this type of research can be conducted using a variety of approaches. However, the validity of the research relies on the approach selected to collect the data.

Not all approaches or research designs will be effective for all issues and problems, and it is up to the researcher to analyze and evaluate what research design is determined as the best approach. As a DNP-prepared nurse, you may have the opportunity to conduct qualitative research, and it will be important to understand which approaches work best and why.

This week, you will explore differences in methods when conducting qualitative research. You will consider strengths and weaknesses of the approaches and provide recommendations for improvement. In your Discussion, you will select a topic and analyze how qualitative research can and should be used to explore the problem or issue. You will also submit your Article Critique Assignment.

Reference: Holloway, I., & Galvin, K. (2016). Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare. ProQuest Ebook Central. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com

Learning Objectives

Students will:

• Analyze strengths and weaknesses of research studies
• Analyze impact of research studies on nursing practice
• Recommend changes to study designs and methodologies to support research studies
• Evaluate qualitative research approaches related to topics or issues in nursing practice
• Justify qualitative research approaches to address topics or issues in nursing practice
• Analyze how qualitative research approaches support nursing practice improvement
• Analyze the DNP-prepared nurse’s role on using qualitative research approaches for nursing practice

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Learning Resources

Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)

Required Media (click to expand/reduce)

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Assignment 2: Article Critique

• DNP graduates are expected to apply research findings and integrate nursing science into evidence-based practice. To develop your skills in this high level of nursing practice, you will analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a research study over the next several weeks using the concepts presented throughout the course. Your final analysis will be a 5- to 7-page paper that includes the following:

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• A brief, 1- to 2-paragraph overview of the study that you selected.
• An explanation of two to three strengths of the study and support for your selection (i.e., why is this a strength). Be specific.
• An explanation of 2–3 weaknesses of the study and support for your selection (i.e., why is this a weakness). Be specific.
• Note: The strengths and weaknesses that you identified should be in relation to design, sampling, data collection, statistical analysis, results, and discussion of the study that you selected.
• An explanation of proposed changes you would recommend to improve the quality of the study, capitalizing on the strengths and improving on the weaknesses that you identified in the study. Be specific and provide examples.
• A final summary of the implications of this study for nursing practice.

The purpose of the analysis is to help you develop a deeper understanding of the research process, to inspire you to think critically and deeply about research on a specific topic, and to strengthen your ability to integrate research findings into evidence-based nursing practice. This Assignment also gives you practice in analyzing the research literature, which will support you when you begin your DNP project. Before you proceed, please review the rubric for this Assignment.

The Assignment: (5–7 pages)

• Select a research article from the body of literature that you have reviewed related to the practice gap that you have identified and for which you will develop for your DNP Project.
• Review the various quantitative research designs presented in the textbook readings and research articles.
• Consider the research design used in your selected article. Ask yourself the following questions:
  • Is the design appropriate for the study? Why or why not?
  • Would a different design provide better results? Why or why not?

Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 10.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK10Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 2 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 2 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK10Assgn2+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 10 Assignment 2 Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 10 Assignment 2 draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 10

To participate in this Assignment:

Week 10 Assignment 2

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Assignment 3: Qualitative Research Approaches to Support Nursing Practice

• When researchers want to seek group interaction, a focus group may be utilized in a qualitative research study. “Focus groups, or groups interviews, are composed of similar participants to encourage interaction among the participants” (Gray & Grove, 2020).These interactions cannot be evaluated in a traditional  one-on-one interview, but in a group setting, researchers have the opportunity to explore perceptions, attitudes, and positioning within a group.

• Photo Credit: Getty Images

Take for example, a researcher exploring why women report inadequate care from medical professionals versus their male counterparts. A focus group might illicit responses more detailed and complex versus simply in a traditional interview, especially if the women in the group all report a similar experience in their care. In a focus group setting, individuals may be able to find connection in meaning to share an experience that might be missed in a different format.

For this Assignment, explore the use of focus groups in qualitative research. Consider the effectiveness of the method and examine how this approach might lend itself to a mixed method of study.

Reference: Gray, J. R., & Grove, S. K. (2020). Burns and Grove’s the practice of nursing research: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (9th ed.). Elsevier.

To Prepare:

• Review the Learning Resources for this week and reflect on the use of focus groups and interviews in qualitative research designs.
• Select a topic or issue in nursing practice to focus on for this Discussion.
• Consider which type of qualitative research design, focus groups or interviews, might be most appropriate for the topic or issue in nursing practice and why. How will this type of qualitative research design support the aims of addressing the topic or issue for nursing practice?

The Assignment: (1–2 pages)

• Describe the topic or issue in nursing practice that you selected and explain why.
• Explain which qualitative research design approach that you selected to address this topic or issue and describe the method you chose. Be specific.
• Justify why this qualitative research design approach would be best suited for this topic or issue and explain how this approach will better inform improvements for nursing practice for the topic or issue that you selected. Be specific and provide examples.
• Explain why it is important for the DNP-prepared nurse to understand qualitative research approaches for nursing practice.

Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates/general#s-lg-box-20293632). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

By Day 7

Submit your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 10.

Submission and Grading Information

To submit your completed Assignment for review and grading, do the following:

• Please save your Assignment using the naming convention “WK10Assgn3+last name+first initial.(extension)” as the name.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 3 Rubric to review the Grading Criteria for the Assignment.
• Click the Week 10 Assignment 3 link. You will also be able to “View Rubric” for grading criteria from this area.
• Next, from the Attach File area, click on the Browse My Computer button. Find the document you saved as “WK10Assgn3+last name+first initial.(extension)” and click Open.
• If applicable: From the Plagiarism Tools area, click the checkbox for I agree to submit my paper(s) to the Global Reference Database.
• Click on the Submit button to complete your submission.

Grading Criteria

To access your rubric:

Week 10 Assignment 3 Rubric

Check Your Assignment Draft for Authenticity

To check your Assignment draft for authenticity:

Submit your Week 10 Assignment 3 draft and review the originality report.

Submit Your Assignment by Day 7 of Week 10

To participate in this Assignment:

Week 10 Assignment 3

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What’s Coming Up in Module 5?

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In the next module, you will examine mixed methods and research reviews for nursing research. You will consider when it might be best to conduct both qualitative and quantitative, or mixed method approaches in your research. You will also examine the use of mixed methods approaches in systematic research reviews.

Next Module