Although the use of qualitative case study research has increased during the past decade, researchers have primarily reported on their findings, with less attention given to methods. When methods were described, they followed the principles of Yin; researchers paid less attention to the equally important work of Stake. When Stake's methods were acknowledged, researchers frequently used them along with Yin's. Concurrent application of their methods did not take into account differences in the philosophies of these two case study researchers. Yin's research is postpositivist whereas Stake's is constructivist. Thus, the philosophical assumptions they used to guide their work were different. In this article we describe how we used Stake's approach to explore the implementation of a falls-prevention best-practice guideline. We focus on our decisions and their congruence with Stake's recommendations, embed our decisions within the context of researching this phenomenon, describe rationale for our decisions, and present lessons learned.

This narrative study explores the experience of 'moving on' from homelessness for individuals with major mental illnesses, after they have obtained permanent housing with supports. Twelve participants were interviewed up to three times over 6 months. There were various routes to homelessness, participants were homeless for varying lengths of time, and they described different journeys of 'moving on' in their lives. Place, and a series of places, were central for participants in this experience. The experience of homelessness for many could be described as 'on the move', in a circular pattern from shelter to shelter or street. Permanent housing and supports allowed participants to 'move on', reconnecting with family, getting jobs and planning for the future. Several participants wanted their stories used to send messages of hope, courage and survival. This study highlights the need for nurses to be aware of the concept of 'place' in the process of recovery from mental illness.

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