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Chapter 3 Research Framework
value their experiences and reveal how their work contributes to teamwork within
organisations. The revelation of this empowerment theme is something that may also
be relevant to the theme of residential autonomy and it is worth noting that a case
study approach was utilised here. Payne et al. (2007) stated that case study methods
offer a rigorous and systematic approach to nursing research.
Shiu (2001) adopted a single embedded case study design with four units of analysis
in order to investigate how residents perceive a sense of control or lack of control
within a home for older people. Data collection included interviews with residents
and nursing staff, documentary analysis on the history and philosophy guiding the
organisation of the home, and non-participant observation of interaction between
residents and staff over a period of two weeks (each one of these data collection
methods was identified as a unit of analysis and the “case” was residents’
perspectives of perceived sense of control within a care home). Shiu (2001) stated
that there has been little published work on residents’ perspectives of residential care
and that studies using this design can contribute to a better understanding of health
maintenance. Hence the appropriateness of using the case study approach for this
study (case study yields multiple perspectives).
Cant, O’Louglin and Legge (2001) conducted a multiple case study across two sites
in order to explore the level of sick leave older people take from work (the sites were
identified as “cases”). Individual semi-structured interviews with human resources
managers and health and safety officers were undertaken, as well as three focus
groups with workers from the local council. Redfern et al. (2002) aimed to
investigate links between the levels of work satisfaction and stress of staff and the
quality of care and morale of residents. It was found that the single case study
approach is useful when a manageable number of nursing homes are to participate in
research, and if a large number of homes are to participate then the survey approach
is more suitable. Again, this is a useful rationale for the adoption of a single
embedded rather than a multiple embedded case study for this research study.
Johansson et al. (2006) used a single holistic case study to describe a first-line
manager’s (the case) goal profile in care of older people. Data collection comprised
interviews, observations and documentary analysis. It was suggested that the case