Karen Francis

Memoing in qualitative research: Probing data and processes

This paper explores memoing in the context of qualitative research methodologies. The functions of memos in the research process are discussed and a number of techniques for employing memo writing to enhance the research experience and outcomes are examined. Memoing is often discussed in the literature as a technique employed in grounded theory research, yet there is limited exploration of the value of memo writing in qualitative methodologies generally. Memoing serves to assist the researcher in making conceptual leaps from raw data to those abstractions that explain research phenomena in the context in which it is examined. Memos can be effectively employed by both the novice and experienced researcher as a procedural and analytical strategy throughout the research process. Data exploration is enhanced, continuity of conception and contemplation is enabled and communication is facilitated through the use of memoing. While guidelines exist to aid in the production and use of memos, memoing remains a flexible strategy wherein the process of construction and nature of content is determined by the preferences and abilities of the researcher and the aims and focus of the specific research study.

Husserl and Heidegger: exploring the disparity.

Introduced as an alternative to empirical science, phenomenology offers nursing an insightful means for understanding nursing phenomena specifically in relation to lived experiences. However, not all phenomenologies were created equal, a point which has left many a nursing researcher not only confused. Furthermore, this confusion might result in the choosing of a philosophical framework that is neither cognizant with the research question nor the epistemological lens through which the researcher operates. Drawing on common nursing examples to illustrate concepts, the authors closely examine and debate the disparities between Husserls transcendental phenomenology and Heideggers hermeneutic approach to phenomenology. The aim of the article is to demystify the dense language used and present the fundamental beliefs of each philosopher in a format that is accessible to novice phenomenologists.

The role of Government policy in supporting nurse-led care in general practice in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia: an adapted realist review

AIM   This article is a report on a review that examined the role of Government policy in primary care and its association with nurse-led care in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia between 1998 and 2009. BACKGROUND   The United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia share a similar model of first point access to the healthcare system via general practitioners. General practice is synonymous with the term primary care. DATA OURCES:  Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE, Scopus, PsychInfo, Google, Department of Health, England (United Kingdom), Ministry of Health, New Zealand, Department of Health and Ageing, Australia. Searches of electronic databases from 1998 to December 2009 and hand searches of identified leads and key journals. Historical papers accessed to describe the genesis of practice nursing and historical Government policy documents prior to 1998, were examined. REVIEW METHODS   A modified realist review was used to synthesize research and policy documents relating to government policies pertaining to nurse-led care. In addition, a systematic review was used to identify literature that described practice nurse-led care. Results.  Nurse-led primary care services are well described in the United Kingdom with a total of 45 studies meeting the inclusion criteria for the second review. There are no published studies from New Zealand, and only two from Australia describing nurse-led primary care. CONCLUSION   New Zealand and Australia lag behind the United Kingdom in practice nurse development. Implementation of clinical governance was fundamental to the development of nurse-led care in the UK.

The response of the maize nitrate transport system to nitrogen demand and supply across the lifecycle

An understanding of nitrate (NO3-) uptake throughout the lifecycle of plants, and how this process responds to nitrogen (N) availability, is an important step towards the development of plants with improved nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). NO3- uptake capacity and transcript levels of putative high- and low-affinity NO3- transporters (NRTs) were profiled across the lifecycle of dwarf maize (Zea mays) plants grown at reduced and adequate NO3-. Plants showed major changes in high-affinity NO3- uptake capacity across the lifecycle, which varied with changing relative growth rates of roots and shoots. Transcript abundances of putative high-affinity NRTs (predominantly ZmNRT2.1 and ZmNRT2.2) were correlated with two distinct peaks in high-affinity root NO3- uptake capacity and also N availability. The reduction in NO3- supply during the lifecycle led to a dramatic increase in NO3- uptake capacity, which preceded changes in transcript levels of NRTs, suggesting a model with short-term post-translational regulation and longer term transcriptional regulation of NO3- uptake capacity. These observations offer new insight into the control of NO3- uptake by both plant developmental processes and N availability, and identify key control points that may be targeted by future plant improvement programmes to enhance N uptake relative to availability and/or demand.

Researching with people you know: Issues in interviewing

Abstract Interviewing is a key strategy used to elicit data in qualitative research. Whilst many nurse researchers are cognizant of the skills required to conduct a successful research interview, researchers may be less comfortable with the notion of interviewing a participant with whom the researcher claims a pre-existing, or dual relationship; a phenomenon becoming more apparent as the volume of researchers escalates especially in rural settings or smaller, heavily specialized fields. Issues pertaining to this particular situation are analyzed, debated and discussed. Furthermore tactics designed to enhance the research process whilst upholding the well-being of the researcher will be illustrated and elucidated.

Practice nursing in Australia: A review of education and career pathways

BackgroundNurses in Australia are often not educated in their pre registration years to meet the needs of primary care. Careers in primary care may not be as attractive to nursing graduates as high-tech settings such as intensive or acute care. Yet, it is in primary care that increasingly complex health problems are managed. The Australian government has invested in incentives for general practices to employ practice nurses. However, no policy framework has been developed for practice nursing to support career development and post-registration education and training programs are developed in an ad hoc manner and are not underpinned by core professional competencies. This paper reports on a systematic review undertaken to establish the available evidence on education models and career pathways with a view to enhancing recruitment and retention of practice nurses in primary care in Australia.MethodsSearch terms describing education models, career pathways and policy associated with primary care (practice) nursing were established. These search terms were used to search electronic databases. The search strategy identified 1394 citations of which 408 addressed one or more of the key search terms on policy, education and career pathways. Grey literature from the UK and New Zealand internet sites were sourced and examined. The UK and New Zealand Internet sites were selected because they have well established and advanced developments in education and career pathways for practice nurses.Two reviewers examined titles, abstracts and studies, based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Disagreement between the reviewers was resolved by consensus or by a third reviewer.ResultsSignificant advances have been made in New Zealand and the UK towards strengthening frameworks for primary care nursing education and career pathways. However, in Australia there is no policy at national level prepare nurses to work in primary care sector and no framework for education or career pathways for nurses working in that sector.ConclusionThere is a need for national training standards and a process of accreditation for practice nursing in Australia to support the development of a responsive and sustainable nursing workforce in primary care and to provide quality education and career pathways.

Breaching the Wall: Interviewing People From Other Cultures

The interview as a data collection tool is an essential component of qualitative research. Many nurses are familiar with the process of interviewing through its use in the practice environment; however, in-depth interviewing for the purpose of research is a unique process. The ability to conduct an effective in-depth interview requires skill in the use of specific techniques, in particular when interviewing people from other cultures. A number of factors specific to the researcher, the participant, and the research context can affect the interview procedure. As global margins diminish, nurse researchers will increasingly find themselves working with people from ethnic groups that are different from the dominant culture. This article discusses strategies to improve the interview process in such circumstances. Techniques to enhance the process, along with avoidable potential pitfalls, will be illustrated using an example of conducting research with participants from the culturally diverse environment of Malaysian Borneo.

Self-management activities in diabetes care: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE To identify the range of self-management activities people diagnosed with diabetes engage in to manage their disease, the frequency of use, and whether self-management practices change over time. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was undertaken. Thirty-two studies identified through electronic databases met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. RESULTS The study found that people living with diabetes undertake regular self-management activities and that compliance with medication regimes is high. Adherence, however, varied with respect to blood glucose testing, diet, physical activity and foot care. Levels of physical activity were not found to change over time. Evidence suggests that some people with diabetes modify their self-management practices in response to factors such as holidays. CONCLUSIONS The review suggests that the majority of people with diabetes self-manage, although there is variation in adherence to key self-management activities. How self-management practices change over time and whether this impacts on health outcomes is an area for future research.

A thousand words paint a picture: the use of storyline in grounded theory research

Abstract This paper explores the use of storyline in grounded theory research and potentially other research methodologies that seek to explain phenomena. Storyline as a research strategy has had limited discussion in the literature. Although stories have been used as both a source of data and a means of reporting research findings, the use of storyline is underutilised and undeveloped as a method of constructing and conveying grounded theory. Construction of a theory that is grounded in the data and not influenced by external concepts is possible through the use of storyline. In presenting grounded theory in the form of a storyline, the nurse researcher is able to explain and describe the theoretical contribution in the context of nursing knowledge. Theoretical precedence, variation, limited gaps, the use of evidence and appropriate style are characteristics of an effective storyline. As both a means and an end in itself, storyline enhances the development, presentation and comprehension of the outcomes of grounded theory research in nursing.

Being Hopeful and Continuing to Move Ahead: Religious Coping in Iranian Chemical Warfare Poisoned Veterans, a Qualitative Study

There is a substantial number of Iranian war veterans, exposed to sulfur mustard, who suffer from serious long term progressive health problems involving their respiratory organs, eyes, and skin. Little is known, however, about these casualties’ experiences of living with the consequences of sulfur mustard poisoning. This qualitative study aims to provide greater insight into how war veterans live with the consequences of the poisoning and involved 17 Iranian war veterans who had been poisoned by sulfur mustard during the Iran–Iraq conflict. Each participant was interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule and the data generated through this process was analyzed using constant comparative data analysis technique. Data analysis resulted in “religious beliefs and practices” as a main category, which included two sub-categories: religious value centered life and religious support. Findings suggest that religious belief assists veterans to accept the impact of poisoning on their lives and adapt their lifestyles accordingly, to participate in religious social activities and feel socially supported, and to be hopeful about the future and live their lives as fully as possible.