S.TRUEMAN PhD THESIS 2016

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1987; Yin, 2003). The choice of research method enabled the gathering of remote nurses’ qualitative descriptions of their own experiences. Second, having worked in remote locations as a mental health nurse, the researcher had previously spoken to many remote nurses about their experiences providing care for mental health patients in remote areas. Consistently, these conversations revealed how remote nurses, regardless of location, confronted very similar issues and concerns regarding their praxis. The researcher was influenced by Yin (2003) when choosing an appropriate research design. The second column from the left of Table 4.2 asks the researcher to classify the form of the research questions, which in this case are ‘how’ and ‘why’. With reference to the third column, this study had no control over behavioural events, and, with reference to the fourth column, did focus on contemporary events. Table 4.2 identifies case study as the research strategy that meets these criteria. Table 4.2 Assisting Researchers to Choose an Appropriate Research Method (Source: Yin, 1994, 2003)

Strategy

Form of research question?

Control over behavioural events?

Focus on contemporary events?

Experiment

How, why

Yes

Yes Yes

Survey

Who, what, where, how many, how much Who, what, where, how many, how much

No

Archival Analysis

No

Yes / No

History

How, why How, why

No No

No

Case Study

Yes