Qualitative research in nursing is a fairly common practice because it helps to explore a particular phenomenon. These are not generalized data but results relating to a specific situation, transmitted not with the help of statistical data but through a description of processes and phenomena. Therefore, this paper will analyze qualitative research regarding the involvement of family members in decision-making regarding the transfer of patients from nursing homes to hospitals.
The basis of qualitative research is sampling, data collection, and analysis. The preferred sources of information are documents, observations, interviews, or focus groups (Busetto et al., 2020). The choice of method depends on the researchers and the goals pursued. Moreover, due to the lack of a clear hierarchy between the methods, several approaches can be combined simultaneously. In their study, Pulst et al. (2019) used literature containing data on the hospitalization of patients from nursing homes, as well as the participation of relatives in decision-making regarding treatment. Sampling identified 4691 articles on this topic but analyzed 2863 articles containing the most relevant information for this study.
The next step after data collection is their analysis. Researchers need to maintain objectivity when analyzing data and remain on the “lower level of interpretation ” (Doyle et al., 2020, p. 448). This approach allows one to obtain the most accurate data and identify the patterns inherent in a specific phenomenon. Since this type of research is not based on numbers but on the analysis of information, the human factor is not excluded from it. For example, Buetow (2019) claims that qualitative studies do not exclude the risks of apophenia and unconscious bias. While these patterns can be recognized in most cases, errors can sometimes still occur. For example, by analyzing the collected information, Healthcare Providers can unconsciously establish connections between unrelated phenomena due to subconscious Biases (Buetow, 2019). In addition, different researchers can interpret the identified patterns in different ways due to differences in experience.
In their study, Pulst et al. (2019) remained objective when analyzing the data, revealing that family members’ decisions regarding the hospitalization of an elderly relative can be formed under the influence of various factors. First, the decision to hospitalize may be based on the quality of care in the nursing home. If the patient’s relatives are satisfied with the conditions in the nursing home, they are more likely to refuse hospitalization and vice versa (Pulst et al., 2019). Second, the decision may be based on factors related to the hospital. In most cases, patients with positive family experiences saw benefits in hospital care, while previous negative experiences became decisive in avoiding hospitalization.
In addition, the decision of relatives was influenced by the state of the nursing home resident and their wishes. Hospitalization became the most common decision for patients with severe symptoms or illnesses. Moreover, even if family members had a negative attitude towards hospital care, they agreed to hospitalization if that was the patient’s desire. Another important theme for this phenomenon is relatives’ degree of participation and involvement in decision-making. From the analyzed data, it was revealed that most often, family members distance themselves from the nursing home resident and shift the responsibility for decision-making to specialists, referring to their expert opinion (Pulst et al., 2019). However, in some cases, when the transportation of the patient, according to experts, was undesirable, but relatives insisted on hospitalization, conflict situations could arise.
Thus, this qualitative study revealed different patterns in decision-making regarding the hospitalization of nursing home residents. Moreover, the study’s results describe the phenomenon from different angles, including factors influencing decision-making and the degree of involvement of relatives. The amount of data analyzed and the identified themes testify to the trustworthiness of the qualitative study for this phenomenon.
References
Buetow, S. (2019). Apophenia, unconscious bias and reflexivity in nursing qualitative research. International journal of nursing studies, 89, 8-13. Web.
Busetto, L., Wick, W., & Gumbinger, C. (2020). How to use and assess qualitative research methods. Neurological Research and practice, 2(1), 1-10. Web.
Doyle, L., McCabe, C., Keogh, B., Brady, A., & McCann, M. (2020). An overview of the qualitative descriptive design within nursing research. Journal of Research in Nursing, 25(5), 443-455. Web.
Pulst, A., Fassmer, A.M. & Schmiemann, G. (2019). Experiences and involvement of family members in transfer decisions from nursing home to hospital: a systematic review of qualitative research. BMC Geriatr 19, 155. Web.