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Safeguarding and qualitative research
Nurse Education Today 33 (2013) 1095
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Nurse Education Today journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/nedt
Editorial
Safeguarding and qualitative research Qualitative research is a potent method used by researchers to gain an insight and understanding into the thoughts, feelings, views and experiences of both patients and healthcare professionals. The narrative data offered through conversational methods of qualitative research can provide rich and deep descriptions of healthcare and so act as a guide to further research or offer different views and considerations for professional practice. Nonetheless, safeguards are a paramount issue particularly if studies involve inexperienced researchers. Discussing the appropriateness and benefits of qualitative methods of research to mental health practice, Peters (2010) comments: Rigour in qualitative research raises many similar issues to quantitative research and also some additional challenges… Qualitative methodologies have a clear home within the study of mental health research. Early and, arguably, seminal work into the study of mental illnesses and their management was based on detailed observation, moving towards theory using inductive reasoning. (Peters, 2010, P. 35) Given the nature of qualitative research, additional challenges referred to by Peters (2010) might reasonably relate to the characteristics of research interviews and the emotions often conveyed in self-report needing to be handled with sensitivity. This necessitates appropriate support for the researcher in the form of research supervision and appropriate additional consultancy. To illustrate, phenomenology, a branch of philosophy and currently a popular research methodology, entails absorbing the totality of an experience and managing personal feelings along with those of respondents. Typically, this is not an easy task for researchers. There is potential to arouse deep-seated fears in both the interviewer and interviewee. Effective Research Governance Ethical issues and the safeguard of all concerned with the qualitative methods of research enquiry are important considerations. Ethical guidelines and principles have been developed to protect and safeguard people's rights and dignity (Steen and Roberts, 2011). Informed consent is essential to conducting a research study and participants have the right to decide whether to participate or not. However, it is essential to recognise that consent may not be a single event and an aspect of a research study the researcher may need to review during and after interviews. It is also of paramount importance that potential research is considered by an ethics committee. Ethical approval strengthens the credibility of a qualitative study and any recommendations made by the approving board need to be adhered to carefully. To gain ethical approval a researcher will have to demonstrate that participants have autonomy, their wishes are respected, harm will be avoided, any benefits will outweigh the risks and they will be treated fairly (Riddick-Thomas, 2009). Protocols for support and intervention should a participant become distressed are also important to safe and effective qualitative research. For example, follow up 0260-6917/$ – see front matter © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.12.005
arrangements for interview respondents to ensure psychological safety and credibility of responses needs to be considered as sometimes necessary and appropriate to promote effective research governance. A common error made when conducting a qualitative research interview is that it is naturally therapeutic because of the conversational nature of the research method. There is a danger of arousing feelings previously outside of a person's awareness or interfering with psychological coping mechanisms. An example of this concern is highlighted in a midwifery study that explored women's experiences of obstetric emergencies (Mapp and Hudson, 2005). To address this concern during the consent process women were asked if their GPs could be informed of their participation in the study and this was agreed by all participants. The services of a psychologist were provided and offered to all women, once data collection (interviews) had taken place. Conclusion Professionals either new to this aspect of professional practice or embarking on similar work should be mindful of the pitfalls as well as benefits associated with conversational methods of research in healthcare environments. It is vitally important to ensure safeguards when undertaking research. The interests of participants come first and a researcher must be satisfied that he or she has taken all reasonable steps to protect the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of participants. References Mapp, T., Hudson, K., 2005. Feelings and fears during obstetric emergencies, Part 1. British Journal of Midwifery 13 (1), 30–35. Peters, S., 2010. Qualitative research methods in mental health. Evidence-Based Mental Health 13, 35–40. Riddick-Thomas, N.M., 2009. Ethics in midwifery, In: Frazer, D., Cooper, M. (Eds.), Myles' Textbook for Midwifery, 15th edn. Churchill-Livingstone Elsevier, Edinburgh, p. 57. Steen, M., Roberts, T., 2011. Ethic and research governance. Handbook of Midwifery Research. Blackwell & Wiley, p. 103 (CH5).
Alun Jones Betsi Cadwaladr, University Health Board, The Department of Psychological Therapies, Swn-y-Coed, Grove Road, Wrexham, Ll11 1DY, Wales, United Kingdom Mental Health and Well-Being, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Chester, United Kingdom Corresponding author. Tel.: + 44 1978 262729. E-mail address: [email protected]. Mary Steen Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Chester, United Kingdom
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Nurse Education Today journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/nedt
Editorial
Safeguarding and qualitative research Qualitative research is a potent method used by researchers to gain an insight and understanding into the thoughts, feelings, views and experiences of both patients and healthcare professionals. The narrative data offered through conversational methods of qualitative research can provide rich and deep descriptions of healthcare and so act as a guide to further research or offer different views and considerations for professional practice. Nonetheless, safeguards are a paramount issue particularly if studies involve inexperienced researchers. Discussing the appropriateness and benefits of qualitative methods of research to mental health practice, Peters (2010) comments: Rigour in qualitative research raises many similar issues to quantitative research and also some additional challenges… Qualitative methodologies have a clear home within the study of mental health research. Early and, arguably, seminal work into the study of mental illnesses and their management was based on detailed observation, moving towards theory using inductive reasoning. (Peters, 2010, P. 35) Given the nature of qualitative research, additional challenges referred to by Peters (2010) might reasonably relate to the characteristics of research interviews and the emotions often conveyed in self-report needing to be handled with sensitivity. This necessitates appropriate support for the researcher in the form of research supervision and appropriate additional consultancy. To illustrate, phenomenology, a branch of philosophy and currently a popular research methodology, entails absorbing the totality of an experience and managing personal feelings along with those of respondents. Typically, this is not an easy task for researchers. There is potential to arouse deep-seated fears in both the interviewer and interviewee. Effective Research Governance Ethical issues and the safeguard of all concerned with the qualitative methods of research enquiry are important considerations. Ethical guidelines and principles have been developed to protect and safeguard people's rights and dignity (Steen and Roberts, 2011). Informed consent is essential to conducting a research study and participants have the right to decide whether to participate or not. However, it is essential to recognise that consent may not be a single event and an aspect of a research study the researcher may need to review during and after interviews. It is also of paramount importance that potential research is considered by an ethics committee. Ethical approval strengthens the credibility of a qualitative study and any recommendations made by the approving board need to be adhered to carefully. To gain ethical approval a researcher will have to demonstrate that participants have autonomy, their wishes are respected, harm will be avoided, any benefits will outweigh the risks and they will be treated fairly (Riddick-Thomas, 2009). Protocols for support and intervention should a participant become distressed are also important to safe and effective qualitative research. For example, follow up 0260-6917/$ – see front matter © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2012.12.005
arrangements for interview respondents to ensure psychological safety and credibility of responses needs to be considered as sometimes necessary and appropriate to promote effective research governance. A common error made when conducting a qualitative research interview is that it is naturally therapeutic because of the conversational nature of the research method. There is a danger of arousing feelings previously outside of a person's awareness or interfering with psychological coping mechanisms. An example of this concern is highlighted in a midwifery study that explored women's experiences of obstetric emergencies (Mapp and Hudson, 2005). To address this concern during the consent process women were asked if their GPs could be informed of their participation in the study and this was agreed by all participants. The services of a psychologist were provided and offered to all women, once data collection (interviews) had taken place. Conclusion Professionals either new to this aspect of professional practice or embarking on similar work should be mindful of the pitfalls as well as benefits associated with conversational methods of research in healthcare environments. It is vitally important to ensure safeguards when undertaking research. The interests of participants come first and a researcher must be satisfied that he or she has taken all reasonable steps to protect the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of participants. References Mapp, T., Hudson, K., 2005. Feelings and fears during obstetric emergencies, Part 1. British Journal of Midwifery 13 (1), 30–35. Peters, S., 2010. Qualitative research methods in mental health. Evidence-Based Mental Health 13, 35–40. Riddick-Thomas, N.M., 2009. Ethics in midwifery, In: Frazer, D., Cooper, M. (Eds.), Myles' Textbook for Midwifery, 15th edn. Churchill-Livingstone Elsevier, Edinburgh, p. 57. Steen, M., Roberts, T., 2011. Ethic and research governance. Handbook of Midwifery Research. Blackwell & Wiley, p. 103 (CH5).
Alun Jones Betsi Cadwaladr, University Health Board, The Department of Psychological Therapies, Swn-y-Coed, Grove Road, Wrexham, Ll11 1DY, Wales, United Kingdom Mental Health and Well-Being, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Chester, United Kingdom Corresponding author. Tel.: + 44 1978 262729. E-mail address: [email protected]. Mary Steen Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Chester, United Kingdom