Nursing Quantitative, Qualitative and Mixed Research

Introduction

For nurses, it is paramount to be able to properly select a research design for their study. It is often needed to choose between quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. The current paper compares these methods.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research involves studying phenomena that can be operationalized as quantifiable variables. Generally, these phenomena can be precisely defined, and measurement instruments are used to assess the magnitude of these phenomena. Quantitative studies may be experimental (or quasi-experimental), correlational, or descriptive (Barnham, 2015). Descriptive studies measure the strength of a phenomenon, correlational research assesses the strength of association between the target variables (but does not allow for causal inference), whereas experimental (or quasi-experimental) research assesses the impact of an intervention (treatment) on the dependent variable (and usually allows for drawing causal conclusions).

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To carry out quantitative research, it is needed to formulate a research question, operationally define the phenomena to be measured, identify the target population, select a proper sample, measure the variables (provide intervention, if any, and measure again), analyze the data, and interpret the results.

Quantitative research is useful to identify the strength of association (or to establish causation, in experimental studies) between phenomena in question, and these phenomena are already studied well enough to be operationalized and measured with instruments. It does not allow for studying non-quantifiable phenomena (e.g., subjective experiences). Some of the strengths and advantages include the high degree of generalizability and precision of such studies, whereas weaknesses and disadvantages include the fact that quantitative research often simplifies phenomena and works with artificial constructs (McCusker & Gunaydin, 2014).

Examples of quantitative studies include measuring the association between nurse understaffing and medication error in hospitals (correlational) or assessing the effectiveness of a new drug in comparison to placebo (experimental).

Quantitative studies are paramount for ARNPs and APNs because, e.g., they allow for developing and implementing evidence-based practice.

Qualitative Research

Quantitative research involves studying phenomena that cannot be operationalized, precisely defined, and measured (for instance, subjective experiences of an individual, reasons for making decisions, etc.). Research designs include case study, grounded theory, ethnography, and phenomenology (Lewis, 2015); an approach labeled “generic qualitative research” has also been proposed (Percy, Kostere, & Kostere, 2015).

Generally, qualitative research includes formulating research questions, choosing an appropriate design, selecting relevant subjects, collecting data from them (usually using observation, interviews, etc.), interpreting the data, and making conclusions (Norris, Plonsky, Ross, & Schoonen, 2015).

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The differences between qualitative and quantitative studies include the fact that in contrast to quantitative research, qualitative studies can examine poorly defined and/or non-operationalizable phenomena. Qualitative studies are useful in particular because they might provide the groundwork for future quantitative studies. However, they are limited because they do not provide supply exact information and are difficult to generalize (Noble & Smith, 2015).

Strengths and advantages of qualitative studies include the fact that they allow for attaining an in-depth understanding of phenomena, the reasons for them, etc. Weaknesses and disadvantages include the fact that qualitative studies might easily become biased or misinterpreted unless the researcher is extremely careful (McCusker & Gunaydin, 2014).

Examples of qualitative research include studying experiences of elderly people in a nursing home, or a case study of a child with autism who is cared for to minimize the adverse consequences of the condition.

Qualitative studies are pivotal for ARNPs and APNs because, e.g., they allow for identifying the particular reasons for a certain problem (not simply confirming that there is a problem, or assessing if it is associated with any particular reasons that are already known).

Mixed Research

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