RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.6 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE
preliminary themes that had begun to emerge to add two questions directed at retumee nurses. These were:
• Their experiences while outside the country.
• Advice, if any,to other nurses who had not yet migrated.
ii) The second part involved a process of rearranging all the registered and enrolled nurses' paper files, according to dates of the nurses' first registration and going through them to select those with records on sent verifications dating between 1995 and 2005.
iii) Since the paper files for registered and enrolled nurses were identified by their color, the arrangement was convenient for conducting a systematic random selection of 50%
files for the study from the enrolled nurses' files and 50% from registered nurses' files respectively. Data collection began after this process. This formed the third activity of this phase.
The study thus used the record method of collecting data on nurses who had verifications sent outside Zambia. According to Bless& Higson-Smith (1995), the record method is a non-reactive research method in which information about the respondent is gathered without direct interaction by use of public documents. In this method, respondents were not aware that they were the subjects of a study and this eliminated some biases.
However, according to these two authors, use of this method is endangered by other sources of error. For example, records used may contain institutional biases. Other sources of error are erratic record collecting and keeping,the secrecy of certain data and lack of information on the actual way in which the recorded data was collected and the bias introduced by the person who collected the data. The researcher had knowledge about the manner in which information on nurses seeking verification was recorded by a person trained in recording and record keeping. All processed verifications were sent to countries of nurses' choice unless in situations where the applicants specified the
specified in the personal records of respective nurses. The meticulous recording of details on verifications minimized errors and biases. Although the participants were not aware about their participation in the study, the researcher ensured confidentiality of all data that was collected through coding of selected files which made it possible for reference in cases where further clarity of information became necessary.
3.6.2 Phase 2: Objectives 2
This phase had two activities that were carried out simultaneously from November 2005 to May 2006. The period included the festive season during which some migrant nurses were expected to visit Zambia:
i) Data from nurses seeking verifications - Data were collected from nurses who were seeking verification of their qualifications from January to May 2006 to find out why they intended to leave the country, where they intended to go and why, and what would make them change their minds and stay to work in Zambia. From experience, nurses seeking verification of their qualifications apply for such verification from the GNC and make follow ups for the result either in person or through their relation. Verifications statements are either posted to countries of the nurses' choice by GNC or are collected for postage by the applicants. It was during the visits to the GNC that nurses seeking verifications were identified and permission sought from them for interviews at a time that was convenient to them.These interviews were conducted in one of the GNC offices because the arrangement was convenient to the participants and the researcher. The researcher interviewed the respondents after obtaining their consent. The researcher took
notes and tape recorded the interviews, ensuring that the tapes were labeled for ease of reference,using codes.
ii) Data from visiting nurses - Collection of data from migrant nurses who were in Zambia was conducted through focused interviews from November 2005 to February 2006. Polit and Hungler (1997) point out that focused interviews are used when a researcher has a list of topics that must be covered in an interview and that the questions are of the type that encourage conversation rather than yes and no responses. In this study, a semi-structured instrument was used to guide the interviews. A list of broad question areas in the instrument ensured that all questions were covered. The researcher's role was to encourage participants to talk freely about all the topics listed in the instrument (Polit and Hungler, 1997 p.255). The interviews were tape recorded and notes were taken during interviews.
3.6.3 Phase 3: Objectives 3, 4, 5
There were two activities conducted from June to September 2006; distribution and collection of the completed questionnaires and focus group discussions.
i) Distribution and completion of self-administered questionnaires - The researcher travelled to all the four study sites. At the first site, the researcher distributed the questionnaires and collected them after their completion. A research assistant at each of the three study sites was trained and took responsibility for the distribution of the self- administered questionnaires to the clinical nurses and nurse educators and ensured their
migration on the public health care system and why some nurses had stayed while others had migrated.
ii) Four focus group discussions with 8, 9, 10 and 6 members per group were conducted in the four study sites respectively. Focus group discussions are groups of about 5 to 15 people (Polit and Hungler, 1997). The groups comprised nurses working in the clinical areas and nurse educators. These discussions enlisted information on the perceived impact of nurse migration on the public health care system that could not be obtained through the self-administered questionnaire. The discussions offered participants free expression of their feelings and perceptions on nurse migration and its impact. A set of questions guided the group discussions. The questions included how nurse migration had affected their work in terms of workload, quality of patient care and teaching and learning of students, and how nurse migration could be managed in the interest of both the nurses and the country, and why some nurses had not migrated.
The researcher moderated and guided the discussions using a topic guide. The advantage of this method was that it was efficient and generated a lot of dialogue (polit and Hungler, 1997). The researcher encouraged participants to express themselves during the discussions in order to obtain data that could not be obtained through the questionnaire.