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Chapter 4 Research Method
relief staff were supplied. A total of 123 daily rosters were collected. In order to
obtain a full picture of the staffing levels and skill mix, the rosters were analysed for
the total number of staff on duty at morning report and the total number of staff on
duty at evening report. The number of staff nurses, healthcare assistants, clinical nurse
mangers and relief staff on duty was analysed. The number of staff on sick leave and
the relief provided was also analysed. The staff turnover during this four-month
period was subsequently analysed. The results of this analysis are presented in the
findings chapter.
4.7.5 Philosophy of Care
A philosophy of care was displayed in a picture frame on the wall just inside the front
door of the unit. This philosophy of care was developed by the staff with the aim of
outlining the ethos of the unit (Appendix 10). This was photocopied in order to
conduct a content analysis on it. The content of the philosophy of care document was
analysed for the presence or absence of the attributes, antecedents and consequences
of autonomy as delineated from the concept analysis of autonomy (Chapter 2).
Therefore it was analysed line by line for any element of resident autonomy.
Following the collection of the documents relevant to this research study,
observations were recorded and the next section describes how these observations
were conducted.
4.8 Observation Data Collection
This section describes how observational data were collected in order to observe for
resident autonomy in the practice setting and thus inform the case study. This section
first describes how the observation guide was developed and then explains how the
observations were conducted and subsequently analysed.
4.8.1 Development of the Observation Guide
Non-participant structured (molecular) and mobile (positioning) observations were
carried out over a two-day period. In order to develop the observation guide the
researcher analysed the literature that discussed using observations as a data collection
method. The observation guide was developed from the concept analysis of resident