Understanding qualitative research: a school nurse perspective.

More school nurses are engaging in the generation of research, and their studies increasingly are using qualitative methods to describe various areas of practice. This article provides an overview of 4 major qualitative methods: ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and historical research. Examples of school nursing research studies that have used these methods are included. Descriptions of other qualitative designs, ethical considerations, and issues of scientific rigor are also discussed.