Reviewing questions for next focus group

Ive been doing some thinking about what questions were really useful - and ive come to the agreement that they were all useful - the ones that i used.
I didnt really need to go into what skills and knowledge were essential - as the participants generally talked about them - however i still want to leave it in there just incase they dont discuss them.

Talking about challenging situations was great - we got some lovely examples and it really stimulated ideasas to why they were challenging.

Talking about support was a major theme that came through - the preferable/what was there. But the interesting thing was that the participant thought new grads were suitable for acute as long as the right support was available. So i think getting a clear picture of support is really important in the data collection phase - furthermore - discussing the reality of the work enviro and "why" this impacts the suitablity is also important to talk about.

I want to add in a question around the suitablity in specific settings following the discussion about whether or not they suit acute settings and whether they would employ in this area. I want to put this in because one participant perspection was that orthopaedics was not suitable - but no other participants agreed or disagreed; nor did they mension their own perspeptions of their settings e.g. neuro/med etc. So id like to add in a question if someone mensions in the next f.group about specific areas/suitability.

Jess

1st Data collection and transcribing

Talk about busy, my head hurts and im buggard!!!!!

Yesterday i did my first focus group via teleconference - and it was a hit!!!!!!! So enjoyable and i got a great start with lots of interesting data.
The things that im wrapped about is that because i had 4 participants they were saying if they were agreeing with what others were saying and then adding other things as well. This will be great to add into my rigour chapter!!!!
They all had plenty to say and i absolutely no issues with people interupting or butting in. It was really strutured, everyone had there time to talk and boy did they.
Some interesting example - especially around practicing in an occupational focused way - in an acute setting.
A few things suprised me - e.g. how well it flowed - and that everyone could really articulate what they ment. Im so glad that i chose to look at the percpetion of experienced therapists - because im starting to get some really knowledgable stuff coming through already!

8 hours in total to transcripe 1 hour of talking - not too bad. I got better as i went along. My superviser is going to go over it becuase there are a few words and phrases that im not sure i picked up accurately. But i will go over it again. But right now its time for a rest!

There are some lovely examples and the next step once transcription is done - is to cut it all up and start coding! Any thoughts that pop into my head - re: i wonder if its always like that, i wonder if others feel the same - can definilty be things that i ask in the next focus group. This will help rigour as well.

Well i was told this was the exciting part and they were correct about that one!

Time for a rest

Jess

Pilot focus group

Today i had my pilot focus group, before the real thing tomorrow. The questions trialed went well - all questions were answered and no re-wording was necessary :)

I was amazed by how fast it went - i felt like i was jumping to and throw "topic" wise - but i guess the discussions were lead my the participants.
It was great to have the support of my superviser - who made sure the discussions were continuing and asked some questions as well.
We worked together and i feel like it went really well.
So the real thing is happening tomorrow - im having 4 participants so im a little nervous. Im so glad il have my superviser there for support.
Im really excited ~ Carnt wait to get the first "data collection" done so i can start analysis and coding!!!

Carnt wait to get ideas bouncing off the participants and get the discussion rolling. Really interested to find out the "main themes" and categories to code.

Il post tomorrow following the 1st focus group :)

Nervous but carnt wait to begin!!!!!!!

Jess

Things this week and next

Well i must keep going - always plenty to get on with i say.

Just thought writing a list on here would make things easier.

So over the next 2 weeks...

1) Keep working on literature review
- going to try a new type of table to help organise my thinking and collate themes from various authors.

Article ... Theme 1...Theme 2... Theme 3... Theme 4...
. . . . .
. . . . .

This way i can go down the columns and collect "who" supports or argues what - instead of finding myself jumping to and from studies. Also this will help me identify where the gaps are in the literature.

2) Beginning to relook at my methodology information and sorting out sections for my thesis
- i have some useful information from my proposal and ethics application - so i just need to see what i have, what i need to do etc. Then i can begin to sort that chapter out

3) Re-read up on "successful focus groups" and facilitating focus groups - in preparation (to refresh my memory) for the pilot focus group due to be held 15 Aug :)

4) Keep organising participants as they contact me - demographics questionaires and consent forms etc

Well i think that will keep me busy enough :)

Rigour, Literature & Participants

Well its been a while - ive had some OT work lately so have been spending most of my free time working on rigour and literature review chapters. Wanted to get them in progress before starting data collection.

Ive taken on board the advice and information about editing and "think" i have made a god attempt at re-working it to make sense and make sure it flows nicely.

Had an aweful time trying to begin my literature review chapter - i just didnt know how to start i guess. So i printed off what literature i had for my proposal and took it to pieces. Then I went over my annotated bibliogropahy and put in more "bits" to give it depth. I used my literature mind maps also to gain a bit of depth.

Its very scrampled at the moment - im going to have to go through and bring out the main/key themes and re-work it (just like i did for rigour).

At the moment i think the key themes are:

~New Zealand health care context (funding/cost effective/quality/setting characteristics)

~New Zealand acute health care setting (nature/OT role/discharge planning process/scope of practice)

~Demands in acute care setting (skills/ knowledge/challenges/coping strategies)

~New graduate's (skills/knowlege/perceptions)

~New graduate's clinical reasoning/decision-making (theoretical knowledge/practical situation)

~Support/Supervision of new graduates (needs/nature/purpose)


On a extra exciting note - participants are beginning to contact me expressing their willingness - fingers x'd i get more :)