Quantitative and qualitative research methods are both used in nursing research. Both methodologies complement each other because they are based on different ideologies that are useful in nursing practice.
Quantitative and qualitative research methods
Quantitative and qualitative research methods are both used in nursing research. Quantitative and qualitative research methods complement each other because they are based on different ideologies that are useful in nursing practice.
Quantitative research is a formal, objective, rigorous, systematic process for generating numerical information about the world. Quantitative research is conducted to describe new situations, events, or concepts; examine relationships among variables; and determine the effectiveness of treatments or interventions on selected health outcomes in the world. (Grove, Gray, & Burns, 2015).
Advantages of Quantitative research method
Quantitative research allow for a broader study, involving a greater number of subjects, and enhancing the generalization of the results
Quantitative research can allow for greater objectivity and accuracy of results. Generally, quantitative methods are designed to provide summaries of data that support generalizations about the phenomenon under study. In order to accomplish this, quantitative research usually involves few variables and many cases, and employs prescribed procedures to ensure validity and reliability
using standards means that the Quantitative research can be replicated, and then analyzed and compared with similar studies. Quantitative research methods allow us to summarize vast sources of information and facilitate comparisons across categories and over time
personal bias can be avoided by researchers keeping a ‘distance’ from participating subjects and employing subjects unknown to them
Disadvantages of Quantitative research method
Quantitative research method collect a much narrower and sometimes superficial dataset results are limited as they provide numerical descriptions rather than detailed narrative and generally provide less elaborate accounts of human perception
Quantitative research is often carried out in an unnatural, artificial environment so that a level of control can be applied to the exercise. This level of control in Quantitative research might not normally be in place in the real world yielding laboratory results as opposed to real world results
In addition preset Quantitative research answers will not necessarily reflect how people really feel about a subject and in some cases might just be the closest match.
The development of standard questions by researchers can lead to ‘structural’ bias and false representation, where the data actually reflects the view of them instead of the participating subject.
Example is a quantitative assessment of patient and nurse outcomes of bedside nursing report implementation (Sand-Jecklin, & Sherman, 2014)
Qualitative research method
Qualitative research is a systematic, subjective approach used to describe life experiences and situations and give them meaning, Qualitative research method evolved from the behavioral and social sciences as a method of understanding the unique, dynamic, holistic nature of humans (Grove, Gray, & Burns, 2015).
Advantages of Qualitative research
Provides depth and detail: looks deeper than analyzing ranks and counts by recording attitudes, feelings and behaviors
Qualitative research Creates openness: encouraging people to expand on their responses can open up new topic areas not initially considered
Qualitative research Simulates people’s individual experiences: a detailed picture can be built up about why people act in certain ways and their feelings about these actions
Qualitative research Attempts to avoid pre-judgements: if used alongside quantitative data collection, it can explain why a particular response was given
Disadvantages of Qualitative research
With Qualitative research, Usually fewer people studied: collection of qualitative data is generally more time consuming that quantitative data collection and therefore unless time, staff and budget allows it is generally necessary to include a smaller sample size.
With Qualitative research method, Less easy to generalize: because fewer people are generally studied it is not possible to generalize results to that of the population. Usually exact numbers are reported rather than percentages.
Difficult to make systematic comparisons with Qualitative research method: for example, if people give widely differing responses that are highly subjective.
Qualitative research is Dependent on skills of the researcher: particularly in the case of conducting interviews, focus groups and observation.
Example is a qualitative study of nursing student experiences of clinical practice(Sharif & Masoumi 2005)