J ust as all facility designs are not the same, research designs also differ depending on the purpose of the study, availability of previous evidence on a topic, and the desired outcome of the data. Unfortunately, qualitative research is frequently misunderstood, because those not familiar with the research method believe it to be of a lesser quality than quantitative study design, considering that sample size, data analysis methods, and even goals for generalizability are different than quantitative research. Qualitative research is a very robust and important research method to be used when little information exists about a subject, there are few instruments to measure the phenomena of interest, or when the research really aims to understand the participants' perspective. Qualitative research can be defined as a form of social inquiry that aims to understand how people interpret the environment in which they live, work, or receive care (Atkinson, Coffey, & Delamont, 2001). A variety of approaches exist in qualitative research and many share the same purpose-to comprehend, describe, and interpret different phenomena as perceived by individuals, groups, and cultures. Researchers in different fields, including ethnography, sociology, education, nursing, and marketing, regularly use qualitative approaches to explore how people understand and interact with the social world. Qualitative approaches are useful in the exploration of change or conflict and because of
