Simplifying Qualitative Case Study Research Methodology: A Step-By-Step Guide Using a Palliative Care Example

Abstract

Qualitative case study research can be a helpful methodology when conducting health research. However, it can be overlooked or dismissed as a possible methodological choice due to different epistemological positionings by case study theorists and often confusing and contradictory definitions and terminology. Much has been written about case studies, but it takes time to wade through volumes of often philosophically and methodologically dense material to locate a theorist who presents case study research at a depth the novice researcher can understand. Case study research literature may offer a condensed summary of processes but often needs more theoretical detail. Therefore, discerning where to begin can be time-consuming, frustrating, and overwhelming. There are very few qualitative case study protocols and no step-by-step guide describing the planning and decision-making process within nursing. To address the need for clarity, this article endeavors to set out how to conduct a qualitative case study in a step-by-step guide using the approaches of Merriam and Stake as the foundation using a palliative care setting as an application example. It contributes to knowledge and practice by developing a foundational understanding of case study methodology in the hope that novice researchers will consider case study research as a methodological choice for their study and conduct it in a trustworthy and rigorous manner.