Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses

In historical research, the typical voice is the realist because the data are
usually obtained from documents. Miller and Alvarado (2005) suggested that
documents could be used as commentary and as actors in qualitative research.
Reports using documents would include more talk and observation. Certainly,
with this approach, one might choose a different voice to present the results or
at least take a more creative approach to reporting.

You have just finished helping with a qualitative research study on homeless people in the rural

Midwest, in which you assisted with data collection. The research team has discovered some

essential health-related information about the homeless people living in the vicinity of your

university. The lead researcher asks your opinion about how the research should be presented for

publication. She wants the information to be targeted to nurses and nursing students. How should

the article be written for the target audience? What suggestions would you make about the best

way to present this information to students? How could information be disseminated to promote

evidence-based practice (EBP) or to improve the community outreach efforts of your university?

CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISE 14-1

1. Which of the following are strategies for drawing and verifying conclusions? (Select all
   that apply.)
   a. Checking for representativeness
   b. Ignoring negative cases
   c. Being sensitive to bias
   d. Confirming findings through replication


2. Match the following:
   a. Real-life account using third-person voice 1. Realist tales
   b. Speaking as a participant observer about the experience 2. Confessionist tales
   c. Emphasizing scientific rigor in the method 3. Impressionist tales

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE 14-2

How did you do? 1. a, c, d; 2. a. 1, b. 3, c. 2

14.3 Qualitative Data Evaluation

At the end of this section, you will be able to:

‹State why qualitative research is evaluated differently from how quantitative research

is evaluated

‹Define trustworthiness in terms of credibility, transferability, dependability, and

confirmability

‹Describe strategies for evaluating qualitative research

14.3 Qualitative Data Evaluation 391