1) Qualitative research follows a naturalistic paradigm which is based on the idea that reality is not predetermined, but is constructed by the participants in the research (Vishnevsky and Beanlands 2004, p.235). It aims at exploring the phenomenon in question by focusing on the individuals who experience it, assuming that it is possible to maximize the understanding of the phenomenon by minimizing the interpersonal distance between the researcher and the participant. Qualitative research in non-experimental, with no dependent or independent variables. The idea is to understand phenomena as a whole. Qualitative research is done "in the field" and requires ongoing data collection and analysis. The data collection and methodology are flexible, and allow for modifications throughout the research process, gathering subjective data that includes thoughts and perceptions of the participants and the researchers alike.
Qualitative research does not choose a representative sample of the population, but only chooses as participants those who have rich experiences in the phenomena of concern, and the sample size is rarely predetermined, because researchers include as many participants as necessary to give an understanding of the phenomena (Vishnevsky and Beanlands, 2004, p.235). The researcher has to work as a collaborator and an equal in the research project. The most common qualitative research designs are ethnography, phenomenology, and grounded theory. Ethnographic research was designed by anthropologists to examine cultural knowledge; phenomenology examines an individual's specific experiences. "Because professional nursing practice is enmeshed in people's life experiences, phenomenology as a research approach is well-suited to the investigation of phenomena important to nursing" (Vishnevsky and Beanlands 2004, p.236).
The main source of information in qualitative research is in-depth discussions between the researcher a...