ABSTRACT
“Qualitative research can put flesh on the bones of quantitative results, bringing the results to life through in-depth case elaboration” (Patton, 1990, p. 123). As Selikoff (1991) noted “statistics are human beings with the tears wiped away” (p. 126). Qualitative research can allow nurses a privileged insider’s view of what it is like to walk a mile in the shoes of our patients so that we can develop appropriate and effective interventions. Qualitative research can provide the best data to develop items for instrument development. The items can be derived from patients’ own words which will resonate with persons completing the instrument. Substantive, grounded theory developed from qualitative research is an extremely valuable approach to midrange theory. As Lasiuk and Ferguson (2005) stated, “Midrange theory has the potential to address the theory–practice gap that continues to plague nursing and to develop the substantive practice knowledge needed to advance nursing as a discipline” (p. 134).
