Yipsian Delgado
When planning a statewide study of nonemployed registered nurses’ job goals and aspirations in my state, I would mostly utilize open-ended questions. Open-ended questions enable participants to make thorough and nuanced replies, providing a more complete picture of their ideas, motives, and situations. In this context, it is crucial to gain insights into the reasons why registered nurses are not currently employed, their intentions for future employment, and the barriers they may be facing.
Moreover, using open-ended questions aligns with qualitative research methodologies, which are well-suited for exploring complex and multifaceted topics like employment intentions. Qualitative data can provide a deeper understanding of the nonemployed registered nurses’ perceptions and experiences, shedding light on issues such as workplace satisfaction, work-life balance, career aspirations, and the impact of external factors on their employment status. By incorporating open-ended questions, the study can uncover valuable narratives and themes that may inform policy decisions and interventions.
To support the choice of open-ended questions, I would refer to the works of Creswell and Creswell (2017), who emphasize the significance of open-ended questions in qualitative research. They stress that open-ended questions promote the discovery of in-depth information and are particularly effective when exploring participants’ experiences and perspectives, which is precisely what we aim to achieve in a study of this nature. Open-ended questions enable a more comprehensive understanding of the individual nurse’s perspective and can reveal factors that may not have been anticipated in the closed-ended questions.
Reference
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications.
Josue Donis
In a statewide study of nonemployed registered nurses (RNs), the use of a combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions is essential to gather a comprehensive understanding of their work plans and intentions. Closed-ended questions can be designed to collect structured and quantifiable data related to demographics, qualifications, and experience of the RNs. For instance, questions about their age, years of nursing experience, and specific qualifications can be closed-ended (Smith et al., 2020). Such quantitative data can provide a clear overview of the RNs’ background.
Conversely, open-ended questions are vital for capturing qualitative information about their career intentions and the reasons behind their nonemployment. Open-ended questions provide RNs with the opportunity to express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in their own words. For example, questions like “Could you describe the factors influencing your decision to remain nonemployed?” allow for detailed and personalized responses (Jones & Brown, 2018). These qualitative insights can uncover the unique challenges and motivations faced by nonemployed RNs.
By employing both types of questions, researchers can triangulate the data obtained from different perspectives. This mixed-methods approach enhances the validity and depth of the research findings. The combination of open-ended and closed-ended questions enables the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data, which can provide a more holistic and accurate representation of nonemployed RNs’ work plans and intentions (Creswell & Creswell, 2017). Ultimately, this methodology results in more robust and actionable insights that can inform policies and interventions related to nonemployed RNs in the state.
References
- Smith, R., Johnson, M., & Brown, A. (2020). Questionnaire Design. In Introduction to Health Services Research: A Self-Study Course (Module 3). Department of Research in Education and Community Medicine, University of Glasgow.
- Jones, P., & Brown, S. (2018). Open-ended questions in surveys. Online QDA. https://onlineqda.hud.ac.uk/Intro_QDA/asking_questions.php
- Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2017). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
