Focus on qualitative methods: Using qualitative methods in intervention studies.

Qualitative research commonly is viewed as the antithesis of the clinical trial and far removed from the immediate practical aims of intervention studies and nursing practice. Yet, qualitative methods can be used to enhance the significance and harness the benefits of clinical trials, and to emphasize the distinctive work and outcomes of nursing care. Qualitative methods are especially useful for further describing or explaining subject variation on outcome variables, verifying outcomes obtained from standardized instruments, and clarifying and evaluating interventions in their real-life contexts.