A beginner’s guide to ethnographic observation in nursing research

Abstract

Background Observation is mentioned in most ethnographic textbooks, but specific details about how it should be conducted and the practicalities to be considered in ethnographic nursing research are not always explicit. This paper explores the experiences of and challenges faced by a novice nurse researcher who used observation to collect data.Aim To provide a novice researcher's perspective of observation in ethnographic nursing research and to highlight the associated challenges.Discussion Challenges that arose in observation began with determining which perspective to take, followed by rehearsing observation, developing and maintaining a constructive relationship with the observation site, being aware of the influence of the observer, managing interactions between the observed and the observer, and responding to ethical issues.Conclusion Novice nurse researchers considering using observation to collect data should be aware of the potential challenges they might encounter.Implications for practice The information presented in this paper will enable novice researchers to anticipate these issues and develop strategies to prevent or address them.

Factors influencing the delivery of the fundamentals of care: Perceptions of nurses, nursing leaders and healthcare consumers

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Exploring person‐centred fundamental nursing care in hospital wards: A multi‐site ethnography

“…Before starting the observations, an observation guide was developed based on an earlier work by Conroy (). This guide provided prompts for information about the observed events, such as the location, date, time and specification of basic care needs, and was used during the observations for recording field notes.…”

Theoretical, methodological and analytical aspects of ethnographic research in obstetric nursing: an integrative review

“…Depending on what is intended to be analyzed, observation and participation in the field are central characteristics of ethnographic approaches (46,49,62) . Immersion in the scenario seeks an investigation and observation of local language, behaviors, codes and values, assisting in recognizing social practices and processes which develop in a routine, repeated and standardized way as they are accepted and rooted in the social group as cultural elements, thereby constituting objects of analysis and being amenable to second-order interpretations (48)(49)(50) .…”