What makes a qualitative study conducted via interviews among hospital staff more useful than other research methods for improving patient care?

From the Guidelines

Qualitative studies conducted via interviews among hospital staff are more useful than other research methods for improving patient care because they provide rich, detailed information about staff experiences and perspectives that can be readily interpreted to inform practical improvements in hospital protocols and patient care practices. This is evident from a recent mixed-methods systematic review published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies in 2023 1, which highlights the value of qualitative research in understanding clinicians' and patients' perspectives on pressure injury prevention and management. The review included 22 qualitative studies, 14 of which used semi-structured interviews or focus groups to explore views on pressure injury prevention, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach in gathering nuanced and contextual information.

Some key advantages of qualitative studies conducted via interviews include:

• Allowing researchers to gather detailed information about staff experiences and perspectives
• Providing contextual understanding and revealing underlying attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that influence healthcare delivery
• Enabling researchers to identify nuanced issues affecting patient care that might not be captured through surveys or statistical analyses
• Facilitating the identification of patterns and insights that directly inform practical improvements in hospital protocols and patient care practices, as seen in studies that used thematic analysis to explore clinicians' views on pressure injury prevention and management 1.

Overall, the use of qualitative studies conducted via interviews among hospital staff can lead to more informed and effective improvements in patient care, as supported by recent and high-quality research evidence 1.

From the Research

Qualitative Study via Interviews

A qualitative study conducted via interviews among hospital staff can be more useful than other research methods for improving patient care due to several reasons:

• It allows for in-depth exploration of staff experiences, perceptions, and attitudes towards patient care 2
• It provides rich, contextualized data that can help identify complex issues and nuances in patient care 3
• It enables researchers to gather detailed, firsthand information about the challenges and successes of hospital staff in delivering patient care 4

Comparison with Other Research Methods

Compared to other research methods, such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or observational studies, qualitative interviews offer a unique advantage:

• They can capture the complexities and nuances of real-world patient care, which may not be fully captured by quantitative methods 5
• They can provide insights into the social, cultural, and organizational contexts in which patient care is delivered, which can inform strategies for improvement 6
• They can be used to explore topics that are difficult to study using other methods, such as the experiences of rare or hard-to-reach patient populations 3

Methodological Rigor

To ensure the methodological rigor of a qualitative study via interviews, researchers should:

• Develop clear aims and objectives for the study 6
• Use a systematic and transparent approach to data collection and analysis 4
• Consider the potential biases and limitations of the study design and take steps to mitigate them 5
• Ensure that the study is conducted in a way that is respectful and ethical, with attention to issues such as informed consent and confidentiality 2