Practical Research 2

Research Question SW

Instructions: Based on the content of the ABSTRACT, identify the central phenomenon, locale, and type of
research question. After which, construct the research question.

Article #1: Commented [BM1]: Central phenomenon: severe chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease
Ek, K. & Ternestedt, B.M. (2008). Living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease at the end of life: A phenomenological Locale: n/as
study. Journal of Advanced Nursing 62(4) Type of research question: ontological
Research question:
Aim. This paper is a report of a study to describe the essential structure of the lived experience of living
with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during the palliative phase of the disease.

Background. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most common diseases throughout the
world. Shortness of breath, fatigue and cough are the most troublesome symptoms, and living with COPD
often imposes limitations on daily living. The disease has a great impact on quality of life and affects the
extent to which people can be active in daily life.

Methods. We conducted qualitative interviews of eight people with COPD and collected data over a 2‐
month period in 2003. Our patients were recruited from two pulmonary disease clinics in West Sweden. We
used a phenomenological methodology to analyse the interviews.

Findings. Daily life for people with COPD is affected in several different ways. The patients described how
their physical limitations forced them to refrain from meaningful activities in everyday life and led to social
isolation. Everyday emotions vacillated between viewing life as meaningful and meaningless. A sense of
involvement and the belief that life was meaningful gave the individual the energy and the desire to continue
living and to envision a future.

Conclusion. Nursing care should include support and facilitation, so that patients can live rather than exist to
the end of their lives. It is important to learn from patients and tailor activities to their social, existential and
physical priorities, where appropriate family‐centred support may be most effective.

Article #2:
Larsson, I.E., Sahlsten, M.J.M., Sjostrom, B., & Plos, K.A.E. (2007). Patient participation in nursing care from patient
perspective: A grounded theory study. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Services 21 (3)

The study's rationale: Patients’ active participation in their own care is expected to contribute to increased
motivation to improve their own condition, better treatment results and greater satisfaction with received
care. Knowledge of patients’ understanding of participation is of great importance for nurses in their efforts
to meet patient expectations and for quality of nursing care.

Aim: The aim was to explore the meaning of patient participation in nursing care from a patient point of
view.

Methodological design and justification: Six tape‐recorded focus group interviews with 26 Swedish
informants described opinions on and experiences of patient participation. The informants consisted of
patients in somatic inpatient care as well as discharged patients from such a setting. The Grounded Theory
method was used and the data were analysed using constant comparative analysis.

Ethical issues and approval: The ethics of scientific work was followed. Each study participant gave
informed consent after verbal and written information. The Ethics Committee of Göteborg University
approved the study.

Findings: The patients emphasised the importance of collaboration to improve participation. The core
category, Insight through consideration, was generated from four inter‐related categories: (i) Obliging
atmosphere; (ii) Emotional response; (iii) Concordance; and (iv) Rights and their 15 subcategories.

Conclusions: The meaning structures of patient participation in nursing care revealed from a patient point of
view, seemed to mainly consist of not only external factors presented by the institutions – by the
professionals – but also internal patient factors. The patients’ view of participation should be considered to a
greater degree in nursing practice and education, as should also further development of nursing care policy
programmes, evaluation and quality assurance criteria. For further development, studies are needed in similar
and other settings.

Article #3:
Moe, N.B., & Smite, D. (2008). Understanding a lack of trust in global software teams: A multiple-case study. Software process
improvement practice 13 (2008), 217-231
Practical Research 2
Research Question SW

Many organizations have turned towards globally distributed software development (GSD) in their quest for
cheap, higher‐quality software that has a short development cycle. However, this kind of development has
often been reported as being problematic and complex to manage. There are indications that trust is a
fundamental factor in determining the success or failure of GSD projects. This article studies the key factors
that cause a lack of trust and the effect of lacking trust and present data from four projects in which problems
with trust were experienced. We found the key factors to be poor socialization and socio‐cultural fit,
increased monitoring, inconsistency and disparities in work practices, reduction of and unpredictability in
communication; and a lack of face‐to‐face meetings, language skills, conflict handling, and cognitive‐based
trust. The effect of lacking trust was a decrease in productivity, quality, information exchange and feedback,
morale among the employees, and an increase in relationship conflicts. In addition, the employees tended to
self‐protect, to prioritize individual goals over group goals, and to doubt negative feedback from the manager.
Further, the managers increased monitoring, which reduced the level of trust even more. These findings have
implications for software development managers and practitioners involved in GSD.