- What type of qualitative approach did the researcher use?
In the study titled Comfort experience in palliative care: a phenomenological study conducted by Coelho, Parola, Escobar-Bravo and Apóstolo used was qualitative phenomenological descriptive design and this method was used to study the "complex phenomenon of human experience, giving emphasis to how the life-world is described by the participants voices (Coelho, Parola, Escobar-Bravo and Apóstolo, 2016, p. 2)."
- What type of sampling method did the researcher use? Is it appropriate for the study?
The researcher used purposive sampling strategies collected by the charge nurses of the Spanish and Portuguese PCU's from March to May of 2015, where they interviewed eligible participants to ensure "a wide spectrum of participant gender, ages, hospitalization time, and diagnoses (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 2)." This is appropriate for this type of study as the patient's that are selected are either going through what the researcher is studying or has had past experiences (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2018, p. 106).
- Was the data collection focused on human experiences?
Yes, I feel that they were. In the study it states that one researcher conducted the interviews and asked the same questions to each participant about their experience on the unit, and only follow up clarification questions were asked after that (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 2-3).The study focused on what type of comfort and discomfort experiences patients have when in palliative care. In this study it was shown that the participants in the study received comfort through human care, differentiated environment, symptomatic control, hope and relationships (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 1).
- Was issues of protection of human subjects addressed?
The researchers made sure to protect the vulnerability of the participants, given the sensitive nature of the study and where they were located, by keeping interview times down, frequent checks on the patient's orientation, and limited the rigors of study (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 3). The researcher made the study ethical and provided human protection by making sure to obtain ethical approval from the Research Ethic Committees of the Fundacio d'Osona per a la Recerca i l'Educacio Sanitaria, Arcebispo JoaoCrisostomo Hospital and the Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, They also made sure that the participation was completely voluntary, making sure that the patients did not have any prior relations with the participants, and also made the place known meaning it was a safe place (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 3).
- Did the researcher describe data saturation?
Saturation was described briefly. The study states that they "saturation had been reached after the 10 Spanish PCU and 7 Portuguese PCU interviews, (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 2)" while other non-participants had dropped out.
- What procedure for collecting data did the researcher use?
As noted, prior, the researchers used only Adriana Coelho to conduct the interviews to ensure that the questions that were asked of each participant were asked in the same manner and only follow up questions for clarification or meaning were asked, that times were kept simple to protect the participants given the sensitivity of their environment and also a naturalistic setting was used based on the participant's preference (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 2).
- What strategies did the researcher use to analyze the data?
In the study it states that the Giorgi method was used by following 4 steps (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 3):
- Reading of the transcripts from the interviews several times to establish a sense of the experience.
- Additional reading or reviewing of the transcripts "with the purpose of identify the meaning units."
- The data collected from the first two steps were then placed in language fitting of the study and placed into groups and subgroups.
- "The fourth analysis step consisted in synthesize all of the transformed meaning units into a consistent and descriptive statement regarding the subject’s experience of comfort."
- Does the researcher address credibility (can you appreciate the truth of the patient's experience), auditability (can you follow the researcher's thinking, does the research document the research process) and fittingness are the results meaningful, is analysis strategy compatible with the purpose of the study) of the data?
Being placed on palliative care is a frightening thing to hear. As nurses our goals are to help our patients and make sure that the care we are giving does not harm the patient but help them. Even if that means that we can't cure or fix what is ailing them. This study helps those that are working in this environment see what is helping make the patient's comfortable through their time and what they might need to change or what issues in relation to patient’s discomforts they need to address are.
When it comes to credibility, I say yes it does.They can appreciate the patient's experience as the researcher worked in the facility with these types of patient's and is studying to get a better handle on their experience (Coelho, et. al, 2016, p. 3). Auditability for this study is present because I can follow the researcher's thinking in determining what message they are trying to get across with the study being fitting as we have a population of baby boomers who are getting older and may need palliative care. We want to make sure that this is a meaningful service and that we are providing comfort for our patients (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2018, p. 508).
- What is your cosmic question? (This is a question you ask your peers to respond to based on the chapter discussed in class this week i.e. Qualitative studies).
What is the best and ethical way to collect data on patient's experiences while on a COVID unit?