Joan Simons

Designing a presentation

How to prepare conference abstracts and poster presentations

Hints and tips on preparing an engaging and targeted abstract for a conference presentation, as well as creating a high-impact poster.

Preceptorship: ensuring the best possible start for new nurses

The impending change to nurse education with the move to an all-degree profession in the UK from 2013 and the increasing demands made on nurses working in the NHS make successful transition from student to staff nurse a high priority. The stress of this move can be minimised by efficient preceptorship for the first six months of practice. As part of a practice-based project two focus groups were formed to discover the views of preceptors and preceptees in children’s nursing on what their programme should include and achieve. The knowledge gained from this exercise informed a preceptorship model for one NHS trust.

An introduction to Q methodology

Aim To explain Q methodology, an untraditional approach to nursing research, by exploring the various stages involved in it and using two studies.

Background Q has some of the advantages of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. A defining principle of Q is its assumption that subjective viewpoints are amenable to systematic analysis. Q aims to identify shared views across a population. The orientation of the uncovered perspectives differs significantly from qualitative research and there is no researcher bias.

Data sources Studies on living with chronic pain and the therapeutic relationship in mental health nursing.

Review methods A review of the advantages and disadvantages of Q.

Discussion In areas where there are many contradictions and contrasting views, for example nursing practice, such a methodology could bring clarity in identifying subjective views of different groups. This article will first present the methodology followed by two examples of studies that have been carried out.

Conclusion This article demonstrates that Q has much to offer nurse researchers, because the identification of patients’ viewpoints in a reliable way has the potential to help nurses to deliver evidence-based practice in response to patients’ needs.

Implications for research/practice Q methodology has much to offer nursing research because the identification of patients’ viewpoints has the potential to enhance nurses’ abilities to deliver responsive evidence-based practice.