ArticleJournal of research in nursing : JRN2020
An overview of the qualitative descriptive design within nursing research.
Article in Journal of research in nursing : JRN, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 704 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
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Who cites it
704 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 1,632 citations in OpenAlex.
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- Intensive Care Nurses' Experiences and Attitudes Towards Family Involvement in Delirium Care: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.Nursing in critical care · 2026Article
- Accessing Care and Treatment in the Emergency Department for Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation: A Qualitative Study of Service Users' Experiences.International journal of mental health nursing · 2026Article
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- Consumers' experiences and perspectives on reporting adverse drug reactions using digital tools: a qualitative study.International journal of clinical pharmacy · 2026Article
- Exploring successful implementation of occupational therapy led home fall-hazard reduction interventions.Australian occupational therapy journal · 2026Article
- Structural Barriers and Cultural Bridges: A Qualitative Descriptive Study of Physicians' Perspectives on Interprofessional Collaboration with Registered Nurses.Nursing reports (Pavia, Italy) · 2026Article
- Acceptability of My Ten: a physical activity intervention for family caregivers of people with advanced cancer.BMC palliative care · 2026Article
- Preparing for Future Group BVaccines · 2026Article
- Psychosocial and supportive care in radiation therapy: a qualitative comparison of Norway and Canada.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Exploring the understanding and management of anxiety from cancer in Latino/a older adults and their caregivers.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine in Prison: Insights From a Short-Answer Survey of People in the Criminal Justice System Commencing Long-Acting Injectable Buprenorphine During a Non-Randomised Clinical Trial.Drug and alcohol review · 2026Article
- Exploring How Gerontological Nursing Telephone Support Can Assist Informal Caregivers of Older Adults at Hospital Discharge-A Qualitative Study.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Article
- 'I Took TB Medicine for Six Months Without Having TB': Personal and Institutional Factors Affecting Trust in Healthcare Among African Immigrants in Florida, United States.The International journal of health planning and management · 2026Article
- Operation Room Pre-Experience Service Willingness of Surgical Patients: A Mixed Method Research.Nursing open · 2026Article
- Nurses' Experiences Caring for People Presenting to the Emergency Department With Mental Health Concerns.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Article
644 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundQualitative descriptive designs are common in nursing and healthcare research due to their inherent simplicity, flexibility and utility in diverse healthcare contexts. However, the application of descriptive research is sometimes critiqued in terms of scientific rigor. Inconsistency in decision making within the research process coupled with a lack of transparency has created issues of credibility for this type of approach. It can be difficult to clearly differentiate what constitutes a descriptive research design from the range of other methodologies at the disposal of qualitative researchers.
aimsThis paper provides an overview of qualitative descriptive research, orientates to the underlying philosophical perspectives and key characteristics that define this approach and identifies the implications for healthcare practice and policy. METHODS AND
resultsUsing real-world examples from healthcare research, the paper provides insight to the practical application of descriptive research at all stages of the design process and identifies the critical elements that should be explicit when applying this approach.
conclusionsBy adding to the existing knowledge base, this paper enhances the information available to researchers who wish to use the qualitative descriptive approach, influencing the standard of how this approach is employed in healthcare research.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.