Table 2 Summary of the process of iterative data collection using visual methods
Activity | Visual method(s) used as stimulus | Purpose | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
Initial interview with nurse manager | Photo-elicitation | Generate a description of facility norms of practice, relating to the involvement of families in the care of their children. Begin to explore the rationale for practices. | After generating photographs, near the start of practice observation. |
Focus groups | Graphic facilitation | Stimulate nurses’ narrative accounts of what happens to children and their families in this setting, and why. Generate a visual representation of the pathway of care, tracing children’s individual journeys into, through and out of the healthcare setting, identifying: the extent of family involvement at each stage; the nursing practices associated with family involvement, and the underlying rationale for nurses’ practices. Elicit nurses’ accounts of what they think and feel about involving families in caring for children. | At least two per site. One near the start of practice observation. |
Individual interviews with nurses | Graphic facilitation Sociograms Photo-elicitation | Elicit nurses’ accounts of activities observed. | Ongoing throughout data collection. |
Interviews with family members | None | Generate families’ accounts and explanations of nursing practices. Enable comparison of families’ and nurses’ descriptions of practice. | Ongoing throughout data collection. Summary added to graphic |
Subsequent/final interview(s) with nurse manager | Photo-elicitation Graphic facilitation Sociograms | Refine the description of practices and explore inconsistencies arising from other accounts of practice e.g. focus groups. Further explore the rationale, philosophy and culture behind observed practices. | Close to the end of the period of practice observation. |