Would your problem identified in the Week 2 discussion question lend itself to a qualitative or quantitative design? What level of evidence (research design) would best address the problem?

The problem identified in the Week 2 discussion question would best lend itself to a qualitative research design. The goal of this inquiry was to explore the experiences of nurses working in long-term care settings and understand how they might be affected by the current staffing shortages. This type of inquiry requires an exploration of subjective experiences which can only be achieved through qualitative methods such as interviews, focus groups and surveys.

This type of study would fall under level 4 evidence according to the National Institute for Health Care Research (NIHCR). This level focuses on descriptive information gathered from small samples which may not represent generalizable findings but can provide valuable insights into specific health care issues or problems. By utilizing this approach, researchers can gain a better understanding of nurse’s perspectives on staffing shortages and their potential impact on patient care quality.