![]() Observation is less disruptive and more unobtrusive than interviewing. Prolonged observation generates more in-depth knowledge of a group or subculture, and researchers can avoid disturbances and potential biases caused by an occasional visit from an unknown stranger. This also means that they should suspend prior assumptions, so as not to miss important aspects or misinterpret the situation. For these reasons they may not need a long introduction to the setting they might, however, miss significant events or behaviours in the locale because of familiarity. Health professionals, of course, are already members of and familiar with the culture they examine. Participant observation sometimes proceeds over one or several years, although some observation does not take as long. DeWalt and DeWalt advise attention to detail which includes ‘mapping the scene’, observing patterns, arrangements and activities. However, extraordinary occurrences and critical events must also be observed as they are specific to the setting. For health professionals this is an easy task as they are already familiar with language, routines and people in the setting, although they must be aware that these vary for context and situation. DeWalt and DeWalt (2002) stress that researchers need to be involved in the context for a prolonged period of time they should learn the language used in the setting. Immersion in a setting can take a long time, often years of living in a culture. Studies in anthropology and sociology in particular used observation. ![]() From the early days of fieldwork, anthropologists and sociologists became part of the culture they studied, and examined the actions and interactions of people in their social context, ‘in the field’. However, early travellers in ancient times wrote down their observation of cultures they visited, often as participants in those cultures, making it probably the earliest of all forms of data collection. Participant observation has its origins in anthropology and sociology. Mulhall (2003) maintains that unstructured observation is an underused strategy in nursing research. The discussion here centres on observation as a data collection strategy within particular approaches to qualitative research such as ethnography, grounded theory, action research and others. Some see it as a research approach or methodology, others merely as a procedure or strategy for collecting qualitative data. There has been a debate about the nature of participant observation. The researchers will become an integral part of the setting they enter and, to some extent, a member of the group they observe. As Jorgensen (1989: 15) states: ‘Participant observation provides direct experiential and observational access to the insiders’ world of meaning.’ The social reality of the people observed is examined. Qualitative researchers generally use the term ‘participant observation’, a phrase originally coined by Lindeman (1924) which he described as the exploration of a culture from the inside. ![]() When researchers decide to observe, they do not set up artificial situations but look at people in their natural settings. The relationship between observer and observed in a health setting is strong, and much meaning is shared. ![]() This is perhaps easier for the researcher than for the busy professional in clinical practice carrying out routine business. Reciprocity of perspectives: In both roles, health professionals attempt to empathise with patients and put themselves in their shoes. Savage (2000) sees parallels between observation and clinical practice:Ĥ. There are many opportunities to do so – perhaps on a ward, in a reception area, in the emergency department, a clinic or any other relevant location inside the hospital or the community. In any case, for nurses and midwives it is important to observe patients, and this everyday practice in clinical settings might help them use participant observation in research. It provides access not only to the social context, but also to the ways in which people act and interact. Indeed, Strauss and Corbin (1998) see it as qualitative research par excellence. Although interviewing is a more popular strategy for those undertaking qualitative inquiry, many qualitative researchers believe that it should complement interviews (Hammersley and Atkinson, 2007). In particular, it forms an essential element of ethnography and many other types of research, but not of approaches that are based on narratives or pure textual analysis, for instance, descriptive phenomenology or narrative analysis. Observation is a data source which researchers use to explore and understand the group or culture under study.
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