Course overview
Students will develop competencies in designing rigorous qualitative research to inform nursing, midwifery and health care knowledge, practice, and policy. Framing qualitative research questions for nursing and health research; using qualitative appraisal tools to critically appraise qualitative nursing, midwifery and health research; the role and use of literature in qualitative research; qualitative research standards and conventions; qualitative research design including ethical considerations, rigour, sampling and recruitment; selection of methodologically relevant data generation and analysis methods including focus groups, interviews, document analysis, thematic analysis; use of qualitative analysis software; data interpretation; reporting and publishing qualitative research.
Course learning outcomes
- Differentiate major qualitative approaches to research in nursing, midwifery and healthcare.
- Critically appraise and synthesise published qualitative research.
- Identify the characteristics of major qualitative research designs.
- Analyse qualitative data using a variety of methods.
- Explain the ethical considerations and scientific rigor in qualitative research.
- Discuss strategies for reporting qualitative research findings.