Data Collection
Descriptive data can be gathered both quantitatively and qualitatively during research.
Using the knowledge and insights gained from the assigned readings and other reliable sources; select an evidence-based topic and then develop three open-ended questions and three close-ended Likert-type questions that could be used to gather data on this topic.
End your discussion by addressing the benefits and limitations of questionnaires and face-to-face interviews.
Provide at least three citations with full references to credible nursing scholarly articles supporting your definitions and discussion.
Data Collection; Reliability, Validity, and Trustworthiness
Topic: The effect of continuous professional development on quality of health care delivery in nursing centres
Open-ended questions
- What factors motivates you to participate in continuous professional development? …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- How do you consider your participation in continuous professional development contributes to improvement in the quality of services offered by nursing centres? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
- What skills and knowledge do you think can be obtained from continuous professional development to enable implementation of necessary changes for improved nursing services? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Closed-ended questions
- Do you think continuous professional development participation improves health care delivery in nursing centres?
| Yes | |
| No |
- To what extent do you think continuous professional development improves effectiveness of nurses?
1=not effect; 2=not sure; 3=slight effect; 4=considerable effect; 5=strong effect
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
- Do you agree continuous professional development programmes can address the challenges faced by nurses today in today’s health care delivery system which is rapidly changing and dynamic?
1=strongly disagree; 2=disagree; 3=not sure; 4=agree; 5=strongly agree
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Benefits and limitations of questionnaires and face-to-face interviews
Both questionnaires and face-to-face interviews are the most popular and commonly used methods of gathering descriptive data both quantitatively and qualitatively during research (Fisher, 2007). However, these two methods have their benefits and limitations. For instance, the benefits of questionnaires are: cost-effectiveness, do not require much effort from the interviewer and consists of standard questions and answers which make the work of data compilation an easier task. However, questionnaires a significant limitation since the respondents must be able to read the questions and write their answers in order to respond to them making it impractical to collect data from some demographics (Gill & Johnson, 2010).
Face-to-face interviews are also commonly used and have their benefits and limitations. For instance, its benefits include: interviewer is always present, which enables the research respondents to either ask for clarifications or clarify their answers to research questions thus maximizing the quality of the collected data, it minimizes non-responsiveness by respondents and the interviewer can create the necessary environment for the interview which relieves tension from respondents (Mugenda & Mugenda, 2003). However, the limitations include: it is time consuming because the interviewer must be physically present at the place where the respondent is located and it all of the legal and ethical issues and requirements involved when an interview is conducted must be considered (Neumann, 2000).
References
Fisher, C. (2007). Researching and writing a dissertation: An essential guide to business students, 3rd edition. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.
Gill, J. & Johnson, P. (2010). Research Methods for Managers, 4th edition. London: Sage.
Mugenda, O.M. & Mugenda, A.G. (2003). Research Methods: Quantitative and Qualitative approaches. Nairobi: Acts Press
Neumann, W.L. (2000). Social Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approach, 3rd ed. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.