Ateneo - UPO

Qualitative health research

Denise F. Polit, Cheryl Tatano Beck – Fondamenti di Ricerca Infermieristica. Ed. Mc Graw Hill, Milano 2014. Edizione Italiana a cura di Alvisa Palese

At the end of the course, the students will be able to: - Understand the contribution of qualitative research in the healthcare field. - Familiarize themselves with the main study designs of qualitative research, with particular emphasis on those used in the healthcare field. - Formulate a research question for qualitative research and query major databases to retrieve relevant literature. - Understand the main methods of data collection and analysis in a qualitative study. - Identify the elements that ensure methodological rigor in qualitative research. - Critically read a qualitative study.

The students should have sufficient knowledge and skills to understand written English.

Presentation with PowerPoint, group work, individual study.

Some learning outcomes will also be evaluated in the internship project of the 1st year (research project). Students with physical disabilities, Learning Disabilities or Special Education Needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services- students-physical-or-learning-disabilities Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The course "Research, Quality Improvement and Outcomes” comprises the following modules: Evidence-Based Practice; Quality, Patient Safety and Evaluation of Care Outcomes; Statistics for Research; and Qualitative Research.

The evaluation consists of a written test and an oral examination.

The written test consists of 22 questions: 11 on quality, patient safety and the evaluation of care outcomes, and 11 on statistics for research. The questions are predominantly multiple-choice and carry a maximum total score of 22 points. They are designed to assess students’ knowledge of the principles of quality and patient safety, the evaluation of care outcomes, quality indicators, continuous quality improvement processes, clinical audit and risk management, as well as fundamental concepts of statistics applied to research and data interpretation. Students’ ability to read, understand and interpret the findings of a scientific article will also be assessed. The full text of the article will be made available before the examination to allow students sufficient time to read and critically analyse it.

Students may proceed to the oral examination only after obtaining at least 60% of the maximum score available for the written test. The written test lasts 30 minutes.

The oral examination assesses students’ ability to apply the knowledge acquired through the critical appraisal of a scientific article of specific relevance to nursing. The article may report quantitative or qualitative research and may constitute either primary or secondary literature.

The oral examination will be considered passed if students demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the relevant theoretical concepts and an adequate critical understanding of a scientific article. This may include, for example, correctly identifying the research question from the abstract, appropriately interpreting results tables and forest plots, and understanding the process involved in conducting a qualitative study.

Failure to pass the oral examination will require the student to repeat the entire examination, including both the written test and the oral examination, regardless of the positive result previously obtained in the written test.

To achieve a final grade of 30/30 with honours, students must demonstrate excellent and integrated knowledge of all the topics covered in the course, together with outstanding skills in critically appraising scientific literature, interpreting data, and applying the principles of Evidence-Based Practice and qualitative research methodologies.

- Paradigm and objectives of qualitative research (main differences with quantitative research) - Main qualitative research designs, with particular reference to the healthcare field - Definition of a qualitative research question. - Methodological elements of qualitative studies (main data collection and analysis methods) - Dimensions defining the rigor of qualitative research - Critical evaluation of qualitative research (tools for critical appraisal).

Here are the expected learning outcomes of this training module: Knowledge and understanding: Identify the differences between the quantitative and qualitative research paradigms. Describe different qualitative study designs, particularly those used in the healthcare field. Identify the components of a qualitative research question. Describe the main methods of data collection and analysis in qualitative research. Identify methodological aspects that ensure rigor in qualitative research. These knowledge and understanding outcomes are acquired during theoretical lessons and classroom exercises, and they are assessed through the written exam. Applying knowledge and understanding: Formulate a qualitative research question and effectively query major biomedical literature databases. Critically read a qualitative study. Contribute to the development of a simple qualitative research protocol. These application skills are acquired during classroom exercises and are partially assessed through the written exam and partially through the research internship project. Making judgments: Identify the contribution that qualitative research can make in the healthcare field. Evaluate organizational, educational, and healthcare issues suitable for developing a qualitative research project. This judgment skill is acquired during classroom exercises and the research internship project.