Page 73 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

40 n CASE STUDY AS A METHoD oF RESEARCH

as a teaching technique used problem solv- Case study is used to expand under-
ing in the transition between theory and standing of phenomena about which little
C practice and has been used in nursing since is known. The data can then be used to for-
the early 1900s (Parsons, 1911). Case studies mulate hypotheses and plan larger studies.
were commonly reported in nursing 40 to 50 other purposes of case study include the-
years ago (Burns & Grove, 2007) but fell out of ory testing, description and explanation. For
favor as nursing struggled to be recognized example, the intensive analysis involved in
as a science. There has been renewed interest case study is appropriate to answer ques-
in case study as an approach to constructivist tions of explanation, such as why partici-
inquiry (Anthony & Jack, 2009). pants think or behave in certain ways. The
Case study research design can be quan- case study approach can also be used when
titative; but because of the narrative nature a problem has been identified and a solution
of the case study itself, it is most often used needs to be found all within the context of
as a qualitative research method. Case stud- the current “real-life” situation.
ies can be as simple as a single, brief case The research process for case study
or very complex, examining a large num- design is similar to the techniques used
ber of variables. Case study is also used for in other designs. First, the purpose, the
theory generation and hypothesis testing. research questions, and the propositions
Qualitative case study method is often used are developed. Questions of what, how, and
as an adjunct method in an otherwise quanti- why are appropriate for case study designs.
tative study. It is used this way for “in-depth The propositions of the study are often state-
study of meaningful characteristics of real- ment of expected outcomes that resemble a
life events” (Anthony & Jack, 2009, p. 1175). hypothesis. The propositional statements are
Case study is a method that is appropriate supported or rejected after the data are ana-
with research that is flexible in epistemol- lyzed (Gangeness & Yurkovich, 2006). A the-
ogy, ontology, methodology, and strategies of oretical framework may be used to guide the
inquiry (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000). case study. This will help to identify assump-
In nursing, case study design is used tions that the researcher may have about the
to study the complexities of nursing prac- phenomenon at the beginning of the study.
tice (Casey & Houghton, 2010). Case study At the outset of the study, the unit of
is an intensive systematic study of an entity analysis must be clearly delineated. The unit
or entities about which little is known and of analysis can be an individual, a family, an
conducted within the context of the real-life organization, or an event. Clearly identify-
situation. The common characteristics of case ing the unit of analysis has implications for
studies include the following: the use of the- the data collection and the study protocol.
ory to guide data collection and analysis; the The protocol should list how participants
use of multiple sources of data and triangula- will be recruited and what constitutes data
tion, applicable when the boundaries between (documents, letters, interviews, field observa-
context and phenomenon are unclear; and tions, etc.). The protocol should also identify
there are more variables than data points what resources will be needed and a tentative
(LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2006). Case stud- time line for data collection. Modifications
ies can be exploratory, descriptive, interpre- can be made in the protocol as the study pro-
tive, experimental, or explanatory (Yin, 2003). gresses and the problems emerge. The pro-
The level of analysis also varies from factual tocol should also identify the plan for data
or interpretive to evaluative (Lincoln & Guba, analysis and how the data will be reported.
1985). The unit of analysis is the case, which Case study design can be a single-case
can be a single person, family, community, or design or a multiple-case design. Single-case
institution (Burns & Grove, 2007). designs are used when a case represents a