Quantitative and Qualitative Nursing Research

Certain research topics in nursing are better suited to either quantitative or qualitative approaches, which are both valid. However, one should understand the difference between quantitative and qualitative research to use the best approach for analysis and making valid conclusions. Qualitative and quantitative research differ in purpose and methods of data analysis. The primary purpose of quantitative research is to describe a particular phenomenon or discover the causal relationship between the variables of the phenomenon (Rutberg & Bouikidis, 2018). Data in quantitative research is usually in the form of quantities that are collected through observation. Quantitative data is collected mainly through questionnaires, tests, and surveys. Quantitative data is objective and includes numbers and statistical analysis (Rutberg & Bouikidis, 2018). Examples of quantitative designs or methods include experimental and cross-sectional studies. An example of a Quantitative nursing research question is: What is the impact of the CRAFT tool on a group of rural nurses’ knowledge among adolescents over a six-month period?

On the other hand, qualitative research aims or seeks to understand a phenomenon in the real world context (Kyngäs, 2020). For example, qualitative research in nursing aims to understand human behaviors making them assume either a negotiated or dynamic reality. Interviews, observations, and focus groups are used to collect data in qualitative research, making most of the data reported in the form of informants’ language (Kyngäs, 2020). Qualitative data is subjective and includes narratives and words. Some of the qualitative designs or methods include case studies and historical research (Kyngäs, 2020). An example of a qualitative nursing research question is: What are the experiences of rural nurses concerning the use of the CRAFT tool to improve their knowledge among adolescents?

References

Kyngäs, H. (2020). Qualitative research and content analysis. In The application of content analysis in nursing science research (pp. 3-11). Springer, Cham.

Rutberg, S., & Bouikidis, C. D. (2018). Focusing on the fundamentals: A simplistic differentiation between qualitative and quantitative research. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 45(2), 209-213.

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