Shifting the focus: sequential methods of analysis with qualitative data

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to illustrate both the processes of data analysis and the methodological developmentinvolved in adopting the sequential use of two data analysis methods applied to the same data set. Understanding ofthe phenomena of interest was sought through examining both the content and the form of nurses’ accounts of practiceexperiences. Initially, a method of thematic content analysis was applied to understand what the nurses said abouttheir experiences. The core theme of nurses’ change agency derived from this analysis was examined further througha method of narrative analysis. In the second analysis, the focus was shifted to how the nurses accounted for theirexperiences. The innovative use of iterative, sequential methods of analysis revealed greater complexity and depth ofunderstanding of the phenomena than would have been achieved with one method alone