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Key words: grounded theory, research methods, quality criteria, nursing research
ABSTRACT
Background:
The quality of a research study is a key issue for clinical practitioners committed to the delivery of 'best-practice' patient care. With the increasing use of grounded theory in nursing research, attention is now focusing on the quality of studies using this research methodology. Indeed, within the growing body of grounded theory in nursing some methodological problems are emerging that raise questions about the quality of the research.
Aim:
This paper recognises that clinical practitioners need to be critical readers of grounded theory research, so that they recognise 'quality' research studies and can develop their clinical practice based on sound research findings.
Conclusion:
Grounded theory should be viewed as a package of research methods that includes the use of concurrent data collection and constant comparative analysis, theoretical sampling and memoing, all of which can create an awareness and an appreciation of the scientific merit required of grounded theory research and promote quality standards relating to research practices in grounded theory methodology.
INTRODUCTION
The quality of research studies is a key issue for clinical practitioners committed to the delivery of 'best-practice' patient care. With the increasing use of grounded theory in nursing research, attention is now focusing on the quality of studies using this research methodology.
The evidence suggests that there are problems with how the research methods are being used and this raises concern regarding the credibility of grounded theory studies in nursing (Wilson and Hutchinson 1996; Benoliel 1996; Becker 1993). As consumers of research, clinical practitioners need to be able to evaluate grounded theory studies is order to make decisions about whether to apply the research findings to the delivery of patient care. When reading published grounded theory research, nurses and midwives need to know how to recognise a 'good' quality research study and understand grounded theory in terms of how the methods used can impact on the quality of research findings.
While there have been numerous developments in the area of research quality resulting in a range of different criteria against which the standard of research can be judged, it is unclear which criteria should be used. However, more recent developments suggest that those who read and conduct research...