Role-player expectations regarding the education of nursing research

Die artikel doen verslag oor die verwagtings van rolspelers oor die onderrig van verpleegnavorsing. Die verwagtings van die rolspelers is belangrik vir twee redes: eerstens as ‘n faktor in die eksteme omgewing wat die formuleringsfase van standaarde beïnvloed en tweedens, as gevolg van die bewese probleme met verpleegnavorsing in nasionale en internasionale literatuur. Die rolspelerverwagtings is ondersoek deur middel van ‘n kwalitatiewe, eksplorerende en kontekstuele ontwerp. Die rolspeler populasie sluit die volgende groepe in: verpleegkundiges in bestuurs-, onderrig, kliniese en navorsingsposte, voorgraadse en nagraadse studente en die mediese professie. Naïewe sketse is gebruik om die data in te samel en kwalitatiewe data analise is gedoen deur gebruik te maak van Morse & Field se data analise metode (1996:103-107) in kombinasie met Tesch soos verwys deur Creswell (1994:154-156). Sestig inisïele kategorieë is verfyn na ses finale kategorieë, naamlik die navorsingsonderrig program, personeel, studente, departementele beleid, befondsing en ondersteuningstelsels. Die rolspelerverwagtings is ondersoek as deel van ‘n navorsingstudie met die doel om ‘n selfevalueringstelsel vir verpleegnavorsing daar te stel en as sulks is die rolspelerverwagtings van fundamentele belang in die ontwikkeling van standaarde vir die selfevalueringstelsel. This article reports on role player expectations regard­ ing the education of nursing research. The importance of the role player expectations are two-fold: firstly as a factor in the external environment influencing and guid­ ing the formulation phase of the development of stand­ ards and secondly, due to the clear indications of prob­ lems regarding nursing research in the nursing profes­ sion in literature. The role player expectations were elicited using a qualitative, exploratory and contextual design. The role player population included nurse edu­ cators, nurses in managerial, clinical and research posi­ tions, students and the medical profession. The data was gathered using the naïve sketches and qualitative data analysis was done using Morse & Field’s approach (1996:103-107) in combination with Tesch’s data analy­ sis approach as cited by Creswell (1994:154-156). Sixty initial categories were narrowed down to six final cat­ egories, which are the research learning programme, per­ sonnel, students, departmental policies, funding and support systems. The role player expectations were elicited as part of a research study aiming tot develop a self-evaluation system for quality assurance in nursing research and as such, the role player expectations plays a pivotal role in the development of standards for the self-evaluation system.


Introduction
Nursing research is an essential component in the art and science of nursing, yet, as indicated in national and inter national literature, several problems exist regarding nurs ing research.The product of the education of nursing re search, the registered nurse, negates the responsibility of producing scientific nursing knowledge.Research is done in academic settings and as part of career advancement.When delving deeper into this problem, abundant litera ture is available that proves that a general negative attitude towards nursing research exists.
By eliciting the role-player expectations, specifically with the aim of formulating standards to improve the quality of the education of nursing research, these problems may be addressed.Standards based on role player expectations will increase ownership of the standards and ground the standards in reality.According to Muller (1998:608), elicit ing the expectations of role players is part of the formula tion phase of standards and it determines what workers and experts in a specific discipline consider as good prac tice.The aim of this article is to report on the research done to elicit the role player expectations regarding the educa tion of nursing research.

Research Methods
A qualitative, exploratory and contextual design has been used to elicit the role player expectations regarding the education of nursing research.The context encompasses institutions of higher education and hospitals in South Africa.

Population
The population for the study was registered nurses, spe cifically in clinical, educational, and managerial positions and registered nurses in research positions.Under-and postgraduate nursing students were also included.The medical profession in an academic environment, and the nursing professional organisation were also included in the population.Specific criteria for participation were drafted and the sample was chosen conveniently and purposively (Brink, 1996:140-1).Convenient in the sense of availability in South Africa through electronic means or the postal system and purposive due to the criteria set for inclusion in the sample.The criteria were as follows: • Involved in teaching nursing research, in posses sion of a doctorate or masters degree or identified as a knowledgeable person in this regard by a per son of the same institution or belonging to another specific role-player category • Willingness to participate • Availability

Data gathering
Due to the qualitative nature of the study, a self-report technique -naïve sketches were used to obtain the expec tations regarding nursing research (Brink, 1996:153).A sin gle central question was drafted and pilot tested.The ques tion was formulated as follows: For you personally, what are your expectations regard ing the education o f nursing research?
In Afrikaans the question was formulated as: Vir u persoonlik, wat is u verwagtings aangaande die onderrig van verpleegnavorsing?
Naïve sketches were chosen as the data gathering instru ment due to specific advantages it offers.The advantages in using naïve sketches as a data-gathering instrument are that the respondent can write down, in his/her own time, their expectations.The result is a written document ready for analysis with rich information regarding the subject.Due to the nature of the naïve sketches respondents can be contacted anywhere in South Africa.
Contact information was obtained from ninety (90) hospi tals in all nine provinces of South Africa.The instructional letter and the naïve sketch form was posted, faxed, or emailed to the nursing managers of the hospitals.The man agers (n=21), who chose to respond, responded within two weeks.All institutions of higher education with a depart ment of nursing in South Africa were approached with a request for naïve sketches.Nineteen responses were re ceived.Clinical nurses (n=5) in Tswane Metropolitan area (Pretoria) were asked for naïve sketches.The request was done personally.These positions include nurses working in hospital and primary health clinics.Students (n=17) were approached in groups or individually.Researchers: educa tional, nursing and medical (n=6) were asked personally and answered via fax, e-mail or handed the naïve sketch back personally.The total number of naïve sketches re ceived was sixty-nine (69).

Data analysis
The data collected were written statements -nonnumericin nature, which requires content analysis.The data were analysed according to Morse and Field's (1996:103-107) approach.The authors name four cognitive processes in tegral in the analysis of qualitative data, namely compre hending, synthesising, theorising, and recontextualising.Tesch's data analysis approach as cited by Creswell (1994:154-156), was combined with Morse and Field's ap proach for the first two cognitive processes.These proc esses occur sequentially, because each process builds on the previous one.A protocol based on Morse and Field's approach combined with Tesch's data analysis approach has been drafted for the coder and the co-coder to serve as a basis for the coder when coding the raw data.The re sults reported in this article represent the data after the first two cognitive processes were completed.

Independent coding
The use of an independent coder is another essential com ponent in qualitative data analysis to ensure trustworthi ness of the data.Poggenpoel (1998:345) describes a pro cedure to follow regarding the independent coder.The person chosen must fulfil acceptable criteria such as expe rience in coding qualitative data and knowledge of the sub ject.
The coding was open because the independent coder was not be given any categories or prearranged themes.
After both the researcher and the coder completed coding, a meeting was arranged for consensus discussions on the topics and categories reached independently.

Criteria for the independent coder
The criteria set for the independent coder, of phase I of the study, is as follows: • Published in peer reviewed journals.
A meeting was arranged with the independent coder for consensus discussions on the results of the data analysis.
The following points emerged from the meeting: • Saturation was achieved with the 29th naïve sketch by the researcher and the 3 1st naïve sketch by the independent coder.
The meeting with the independent coder fulfilled the re quirement of reflexivity (Lincoln & Guba, 1985:290), in an effort to maintain rigor in the scientific inquiry and achieve trustworthiness of the data.In the computer spreadsheet, each category was numbered and the registration number of the naïve sketch from which the specific category origi nated or corresponding categories in following naïve sketches, was listed.In this way, the sequence of the de velopment of the categories can be traced as well as the specific naïve sketch from which the category originated.
The reproducibility of the qualitative data analysis was seen as important in order to fulfil the three prerequisites for trustworthiness: • Prove that the nominated role-player populations are present in the analysis.coln & Guba, 1985:290), as well as adhering to the recom mendations for auditability by Bums and Grove (1997:528).
Trustworthiness is discussed in the next section.

Trustworthiness
The data generated via the naïve sketches are qualitative in nature and as such, the data should be assessed for trust worthiness.According to the authors, the basic issue in relation to trustworthiness is to be able to persuade the audience that the findings are worth paying attention to, and worth accepting (Lincoln & Guba, 1985:290).The im plementation of the trustworthiness criteria of Lincoln and Guba in Phase 1 of the research study is set out in table 1.2.
According to the criteria set by Lincoln and Guba (1985:290), the data is trustworthy and thus the results are discussed in the following section.

Ethical considerations
Participation was voluntary as a letter inviting participants to participate and explaining the scope of their participa tion was attached to the naïve sketch form.Anonymity and confidentiality was ensured as no name was written on the form.A space was earmarked on the form where the respondent could indicate the role player population group he or she belonged to.

Results
The number of categories after the first cognitive process came to sixty (60) initial categories.In the second process, synthesizing, the initial categories are narrowed down to final categories to enable the researcher to synthesise the data in preparation for the third process namely theorising.

i) Nursing research learning programme
Several expectations emerged regarding the learning programme and the expectations are discussed under the following headings: con tent, didactic concept, assessment, philosophy and outcome.

a) Content
Several expectations regarding the content of the research learning programme were uncovered.Aspects named are that standards should exist for research design and termi nology and also that the student's scientific writing ability should be actively developed.
"Skryf as 'n navorsingsvaardigheid moet ontwikkel word.""Writing as a research skill should be developed." The importance of nursing research in the total programme was also described.
"Dat verpleegnavorsing 'n belangriker komponent in verpleegopleiding en in die verpleegpraktyk sal inneem.""Nursing research should comprise a more significant com ponent in nursing education and the nursing practice." "Daar moet gewaak word daarteen om navorsing as vak net in 'n kurrikulum te druk sodat die keuringsrade van opleidingsinstansies tevrede is, maar daar te min tyd is in The expectation is that teaching should be an enjoyable experience, and that a positive atmosphere should be cre ated which is non-threatening and fun.
"Dat die onderrig sal voldoen aan die belofte wat aanvanklik gemaak is aan die begin van die jaar.Dat navorsing 'lekker' sal wees -jy sal dit geniet.""The education should fulfil the initial promise made at the start o f the academic year.That research would be fun and enjoyable." "Teaching of the research process is an art -it needs to be non-threatening, challenging and fun."

c) Curriculum
Regarding the curriculum, one of the most prominent ex pectations is that research should commence in the first year of the basic nursing course.This requirement is seen as an essential element in the creation and maintenance of a research culture in a nursing department.
ing and change the paradigm of best practice, based on the historical evolution of nursing care.Standards should ex ist for nursing curricula, which should be similar between various institutions of higher education.

ii) Personnel
Expectations regarding personnel will be discussed as the competencies required, multidisciplinary research, produc tivity and leadership positions needed in nursing research.

a) Personnel-com petencies
A number of expectations were elicited in terms of person nel competencies.Several respondents suggested that the creation of a rolling model in the department of nursing should increase the general level of expertise regarding re search.A standard should exist regarding the qualifica tions of nurse educators (percentage with doctorates, mas ters, improving qualifications and doing postdoctoral re search).
"Staffing criteria to include predetermined percentages, ei ther de facto or laid down as a strategic objective: percent age academic staff with doctoral and masters degrees, per centages improving qualifications and those busy with non forma research into identified issues and the percentage of staff busy with post doctoral research." Research supervision was also discussed and specifically the need for experienced supervisors and criteria for the process of supervision.An expectation that was raised by many respondents is the characteristics and competencies of the nurse educator.Some expectations in this regard are as follows: enthusias tic about research, a good communicator, patient, avail able, knowledgeable, should be a nurse, a role model and committed to students.
. die dosent moet nooit wys dat sy moedeloos voel omdat ek so sukkel om die begrippe te verstaan nie -dit is totaal vreemd en neem tyd om deel te word van jou denkwyse." the lecturer should never show that she is discour aged because I am struggling to understand the princi ples o f research -it is totally foreign and takes time to be integrated into your way o f thinking." "Die dosent moet in staat wees om die inligting oor te dra op die vlak wat die student is en nie op die vlak van haar eie kennisnie..." "The lecturer must be able to transfer knowledge on the level o f the student and not on her own level o f knowledge "Die persoon wat die onderrig aanbied moet 'n kenner wees ... en sy moet haarself al heelwat navorsing gedoen het." "The person doing the lecturing should be an expert... and she should have done quite some research herself." "Die persoon moet goeie kommunikasie vaardighede aan die dag lê." "The person should have good communications skills." "Lecturers must be enthusiastic about their subject and be ongoing learners and demonstrate this to their students."

b)
Personnel -m ultidisciplinary research

Table 1
Expectations regarding the didactic concept include aspects such as practica hours as part of the research course where students can obtain practical experience and one example of how such experience can be obtained is apprenticeships.Another expectation in this regard is that nursing students should be involved in research studies in the hospital as field workers or co-workers.Group work is also suggested.Lectures, which are clear and understandable, are also ex pected."Diedosent moet instaat wees om die inligting oor te dra op die vlak wat die student is en nie op die vlak van haar eie kennis nie.Ek het nou al 2 maal voorheen navorsing as deel van my studies gedoen en het nog steeds nie'n idée hoe om dit reg te doen nie omdat kundiges ingekry is om die inligting bymekaar te sit en te verwerk aangesien ons niks van die onderwerp geweet het nie." • Documented data and decisions as the analysis progressed as evidence of the way the conclusions were reached.•Anaudit trial was created to ensure that the results obtained from the raw data were auditable."The lecturer must be able to transfer knowledge on a level that is understandable to the student and not on her own level o f knowledge.I have done a research course twice before, but still have no idea how to do research as experts were employed to do the data analysis, because we did not understand research at all." The expectation also exists that research education should be a separate course or module.Statistics should be taught at a basic but understandable level.Certificate courses, workshops and presentations should be available for those wishing to upgrade their knowledge and skills.From the students' point of view, there should be enough time in a course to do research: "Betrek studente by observasie navorsing.Laat studente self enige projek oor enige aspek in hospitale doen om te "Nursing education needs to develop nursing research from help met bewusmaking en resultate te kry, of probleme te day one."identifiseeren daarop navorsing te doen.""Involvestudents in observation research.Let students The aim is to engender a respect for evidence-based nurs-do a project on any aspect in a hospital to increase aware-ness and to get results, or to identify a researchable prob lem and do a study.""Research is not restricted to formal qualifications, but may be conducted at all levels of breadth and depth for the purpose of problem solving, describing phenomena, seek ing evidence for and of professional practice and the de velopment of more effective practices in a designated pro fession.""Navorsing moet vanaf die basiese kwalifikasie deur die studente aangeleer word.Dit moet op so 'n wyse aan die The library should be sufficiently equipped to sup ply in the needs of students up to doctoral level.•Studentsshouldbetaughthow to use various re sources, e.g. the library.•Studentsshouldbeoriented in the library and sta tistical support department early in the year.•Students,who are not computer literate, should be assisted in literature searches."Verder,datondersteuningstrukture in plek moet wees om hulle te help om hierdie studies op te stel, te implementer en te interpreteer.""Further,support systems should be in place to enable students to initiate, implement and interpret studies.""Meerhulp van die biblioteek om inligting te bekom indien die inligting nie onmiddelik beskikbaar is nie.""Moresupport from the library to obtain information that is not readily available.""Meeropgeleide mense moet by die biblioteek wees om mens te help.Ek was by 3 verskillende mense waarvan net een my kon help.Hulle moet nuwe studente kan leiding gee -dis NB en voorkom baie moedeloosheid en frustrasie.""Moretrainedpersons in the library to assist a student.I approached three different people for assistance, but only one could help me.They should provide guidance to new students -it is very important and will prevent discour agement and frustration."ConclusionTheseexpectations regarding education of nursing research represent feelings, experiences and wishes in the role-player population within their own world-views and the context of their own training and current positions.These expecta tions identifies what are considered as good practice at grass roots level as well as specialists in the education of nursing research in institutions of higher education.Hence, the research provides a basis for the formulation of stand ards for quality assurance in nursing research.
• Funding: standards should include the department's responsibility to obtain funding for research and to assist students with funding for their research.•Supportsystems: specific standards must be devel oped regarding the library and statistical support available for research.