Qualitative research in software engineering

  • Published: 28 May 2011
  • Volume 16 , pages 425–429, ( 2011 )

Cite this article

  • Tore Dybå 1 ,
  • Rafael Prikladnicki 2 ,
  • Kari Rönkkö 3 ,
  • Carolyn Seaman 4 &
  • Jonathan Sillito 5  

10k Accesses

34 Citations

Explore all metrics

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

Qualitative research methods were developed in the social sciences to enable researchers to study social and cultural phenomena and are designed to help researchers understand people and the social and cultural contexts within which they live (Denzin and Lincoln 2011 ). The goal of understanding a phenomenon from the point of view of the participants and its particular social and institutional context is largely lost when textual data are quantified. Taylor and Bogdan ( 1984 ) point out that qualitative research methods were designed mostly by educational researchers and other social scientists to study the complexities of human behavior (e.g., motivation, communication, difficulties in understanding). According to these authors, human behavior is clearly a phenomenon that, due to its complexity, requires qualitative methods to be fully understood, since much of human behavior cannot be adequately described and explained through statistics and other quantitative methods. Examples of qualitative methods are action research, case study research, ethnography, and grounded theory. Qualitative data sources include observation and participant observation (fieldwork), interviews and questionnaires, documents and texts, and the researcher’s impressions and reactions.

Many in the software industry recognize that software development also presents a number of unique management and organizational issues that need to be addressed and solved in order for the field to progress. And this situation has led to studies related not only to software engineering technical issues, but also to non-technical issues as well as to the intersection between the technical and non-technical aspects. Complex software engineering issues can be difficult to study using a purely quantitative approach. The reasons for this include typically small sample sizes, the expense of controlled experiments with human subjects, and the need for preliminary support before hypothesis testing can begin. Alternatively, qualitative studies can generate well-grounded hypotheses and findings that incorporate the complexity of the phenomenon under study. They also offer richer explanations and new areas for future study. They are also appropriate when variables are not defined or quantified and there is little prior theoretical or empirical work.

Lastly, a principal advantage of using qualitative methods is that they force the researcher to delve into the complexity of the problem rather than abstract it away, and the results can be more informative. Thus, since software engineering involves complex human behavior in an environment and circumstances that are to date not well developed theoretically or empirically and the phenomenon requires rich explanation in order to develop constructs and hypothesis, we need to raise the awareness regarding qualitative research in this field.

For this reason, we solicited submissions for this Special Issue on the topic of “Qualitative Research in Software Engineering”. This special issue was meant to overcome some of the methodological challenges by providing software engineering researchers with good examples of the state of the art in the application of qualitative research methods to software engineering problems. We hoped to include articles that could illustrate good flexible research designs, and how methodological challenges in software engineering research can be addressed.

In this special issue we have gathered four papers that present innovative ideas on how to cope with the growing complexity of effectively researching software engineering phenomena using qualitative approaches. We received papers from around the world, 24 in total. Each paper was reviewed by at least three expert referees. The guest editors would like to thank all the reviewers and authors of submitted papers to this Special Issue.

The four papers of this Special Issue employ a variety of qualitative research methods to address a variety of software engineering phenomena. Two of the papers, those by Prechelt and Oezbek and by Adolph et al., employ grounded theory, although they both tailor and interpret traditional grounded theory techniques for the particular needs of software engineering researchers. Thus, they provide a much-needed resource for researchers in our field who are struggling with adapting grounded theory based on resources written for researchers in education and the social sciences. Sim and Alspaugh’s paper on their “war story” study of requirements engineering is another example of tailoring a traditional qualitative research method (interviews) to the context of studying software engineering phenomena. Another twist in a well-known research approach, the case study, is presented in McLeod et al., who present a detailed explanation and rationale for a “longitudinal” case study methodology. Synopses of these four papers follow.

Prechelt and Oezbek present a narrative about their multiple attempts to study the phenomenon of software process improvement in open source software development. They found this subject very difficult to address, and tried a number of well-reasoned approaches to the problem. In addition to the approach that was finally successful, an adaptation of grounded theory, their article provides a rare exposition of the failings of several other methodological approaches to this problem.

McLeod et al. give a detailed descriptive and prescriptive treatment of a type of case study approach, the longitudinal case study, which is particularly well suited for exploring complex software development phenomena. In particular, the authors found this approach useful in understanding the multiple factors, including time, that interacted to effect the outcomes of the project being studied.

Sim and Alspaugh provide deep insights and five valuable recommendations related to analyzing data from “war stories” interviews. Standard quantitative analysis techniques, which broke down the stories into smaller “facts”, led the authors to lose the structure of each story. On the other hand, analysis using techniques from the humanities, along with concepts such as methodical vs. amethodical perspectives, enabled new useful insights.

Adolph, et al., present their own experiences of implementing Glaserian grounded theory. Although the method is time consuming and tedious, they find it to be an effective tool for software engineering research. Based on their own case of applying grounded theory in a software engineering context they provide insightful lessons learned and useful guidelines for how to interpret the canons of classical grounded theory literature.

It is our hope that this Special Issue will serve as a resource for software engineering researchers, through its detailed examples of how these authors tailored and applied qualitative research methods to contribute to the body of knowledge in our field. We also sincerely desire for this issue, and for the growing body of literature describing qualitative research in software engineering, to motivate the research community to employ qualitative methods, alone or in mixed methods designs, to more fully study the complexities of software engineering. We believe that progress in our field requires full consideration of human behavior within software development environments, and that understanding the complexities of human behavior requires that researchers go beyond the limitations of quantification and statistical analysis. Qualitative research methods have been found, in many other fields, to be critical to grasping and understanding the phenomena in which humans play a role. We are pleased to present this Special Issue as a contribution towards the continuing need for qualitative research in software engineering.

Denzin NK, Lincoln YS (2011) The SAGE handbook of qualitative research, 4th edn. Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California

Google Scholar  

Taylor SJ, Bogdan R (1984) Introduction to qualitative research methods. John Wiley & Sons, New York

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

SINTEF, Trondheim, Norway

PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Rafael Prikladnicki

Blekinge Institute of Technology, Karlskrona, Sweden

Kari Rönkkö

University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA

Carolyn Seaman

University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Jonathan Sillito

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carolyn Seaman .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Dybå, T., Prikladnicki, R., Rönkkö, K. et al. Qualitative research in software engineering. Empir Software Eng 16 , 425–429 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10664-011-9163-y

Download citation

Published : 28 May 2011

Issue Date : August 2011

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10664-011-9163-y

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Find a journal
  • Publish with us
  • Track your research

logo

150+ Best Engineering Research Topics for Students To Consider

Table of Contents

Engineering is a wide field of study that is divided into various branches such as Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, Electronics, Chemical, etc. Basically, each branch has thousands of engineering research topics to focus on. Hence, when you are asked to prepare an engineering research paper or dissertation for your final year assignments, you might experience difficulties with identifying a perfect topic. But hereafter, you need not worry about topic selection because to make the topic selection process easier for you, here we have suggested some tips for choosing a good engineering research topic. Additionally, we have also shared a list of the best 150+ engineering research paper topics on various specializations. Continue reading this blog to get exclusive ideas for engineering research paper writing.

Engineering Research Paper Topic Selection Tips

When it comes to research in the field of engineering, identifying the best engineering research topic is the first step. So, during that process, in order to identify the right topic, consider the following tips.

  • Choose a topic from the research area matching your interest.
  • Give preference to a topic that has a large scope to conduct research activities.
  • Pick a topic that has several reference materials and evidence supporting your analysis.
  • Avoid choosing an already or frequently discussed topic. If the topic is popular, discuss it from a different perspective.
  • Never choose a larger topic that is tough to complete before the deadline.
  • Finalize the topic only if it satisfies your academic requirements.

Engineering Research Topics

List of the Best Engineering Research Topics

Are you searching for the top engineering project ideas? Would you have to complete your academic paper on the best engineering research topic? If yes, then take a look below. Here, we have suggested a few interesting engineering topics in various disciplines that you can consider for your research or dissertation.

Top Engineering Research Topics

Mechanical Engineering Research Topics

  • How does the study of robotics benefit from a mechanical engineering background?
  • How can a new composite substitute reduce costs in large heat exchangers?
  • Which will become the predominant energy technology this century?
  • Why structural analysis is considered the foundation of mechanical engineering?
  • Why is cast iron used in the engines of large ships?
  • What is the finite element approach and why is it essential?
  • Why is the flow of fluids important in mechanical engineering?
  • What impact does mechanical engineering have in the medical field?
  • How do sports incorporate mechanical engineering theories?
  • What is the process of thermal heat transfer in machines?
  • How can solar panels reduce energy costs in developing countries?
  • In what ways is mechanical engineering at the forefront of the field?
  • How do various elements interact differently with energy?
  • How can companies improve manufacturing through new mechanical theories?

Additional Research Paper Topics on Mechanical Engineering

  • Power generation: Extremely low emission technology.
  •   Rail and wheel wear during the presence of third-body materials.
  •  Studying the impact of athletic shoe properties on running performance and injuries
  • Evaluating teeth decay using patient-specific tools
  •   Nanotechnology.
  • Describe the newly developed methods and applications in Vibration Systems
  • Perspective or general Commentaries on the methods and protocols relevant to the research relating to Vibration Systems
  • Software-related technology for Visibility of end-to-end operations for employee and management efficiencies
  • What should be the best strategies to apply in the planning for consumer demand and responsiveness using data analytics
  • Analysis of the monitoring of manufacturing processes using IOT/AI
  • Critical analysis of the advancing digital manufacturing with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) Data Analytics
  • Pyrolysis and Oxidation for Production and Consumption of Strongly Oxygenated Hydrocarbons as Chemical Energy Carriers: Explain
  • Explore the most effective strategies for fatigue-fracture and failure prevention of automotive engines and the importance of such prevention
  • Explore the turbomachinery performance and stability enhancement by means of end-wall flow modification
  • Production optimization, engine performance, and tribological characteristics of biofuels and their blends in internal combustion engines as alternative fuels: Explain

Civil Engineering Research Topics

  • The use of sustainable materials for construction: design and delivery methods.
  • State-of-the-art practice for recycling in the construction industry.
  • In-depth research on the wastewater treatment process
  • Building Information Modelling in the construction industry
  • Research to study the impact of sustainability concepts on organizational growth and development.
  • The use of warm-mix asphalt in road construction
  • Development of sustainable homes making use of renewable energy sources.
  • The role of environmental assessment tools in sustainable construction
  • Research to study the properties of concrete to achieve sustainability.
  • A high-level review of the barriers and drivers for sustainable buildings in developing countries
  • Sustainable technologies for the building construction industry
  • Research regarding micromechanics of granular materials.
  • Research to set up remote sensing applications to assist in the development of sustainable construction techniques.
  • Key factors and risk factors associated with the construction of high-rise buildings.
  • Use of a single-phase bridge rectifier
  • Hydraulic Engineering: A Brief Overview
  • Application of GIS techniques for planetary and space exploration
  •   Reengineering the manufacturing systems for the future.
  • Production Planning and Control.
  •   Project Management.
  •   Quality Control and Management.
  •   Reliability and Maintenance Engineering.

Environmental Engineering Research Paper Topics

  • Design and development of a system for measuring the carbon index of energy-intensive companies.
  • Improving processes to reduce kWh usage.
  • How can water conductivity probes help determine water quality and how can water be reused?
  • A study of compressor operations on a forging site and mapping operations to identify and remove energy waste.
  • A project to set up ways to measure natural gas flow ultrasonically and identify waste areas.
  • Developing a compact device to measure energy use for a household.
  • What are carbon credits and how can organizations generate them?
  • Production of biogas is from organic coral waste.
  • Analyzing the impact of the aviation industry on the environment and the potential ways to reduce it.
  • How can voltage reduction devices help organizations achieve efficiency in electricity usage?
  • What technologies exist to minimize the waste caused by offshore drilling?
  • Identify the ways by which efficient control systems using information systems can be introduced to study the energy usage in a machining factory.
  • The process mapping techniques to identify bottlenecks for the supply chain industry.
  • Process improvement techniques to identify and remove waste in the automotive industry.
  • In what ways do green buildings improve the quality of life?
  • Discussion on the need to develop green cities to ensure environmental sustainability
  • Process of carbon dioxide sequestration, separation, and utilization
  • Development of facilities for wastewater treatment

Environmental Engineering Research Topics

Read more topics: Outstanding Environmental Science Topics for You to Consider

Electrical Engineering Research Topics

  • Research to study transformer losses and reduce energy loss.
  • How does an ultra-low-power integrated circuit work?
  • Setting up a control system to monitor the process usage of compressors.
  • Integration of smart metering pulsed outputs with wireless area networks and access to real-time data.
  • What are the problems of using semiconductor topology?
  • Developing effective strategies and methodical systems for paying as-you-go charging for electric vehicles.
  • A detailed review and investigation into the key issues and challenges facing rechargeable lithium batteries.
  • Trends and challenges in electric vehicles technologies
  • Research to investigate, develop and introduce schemes to ensure efficient energy consumption by electrical machines.
  • What is meant by regenerative braking?
  • Smart charging of electric vehicles on the motorway
  • Research to study metering techniques to control and improve efficiency.
  • Develop a scheme to normalize compressor output to kWh.
  • Research to introduce smart metering concepts to ensure efficient use of electricity.
  • What is the most accurate method of forecasting electric loads?
  • Fundamentals of Nanoelectronics
  • Use of DC-to-DC converter in DC (Direct Current) power grid
  • Development of Microgrid Integration

Electronics and Communications Engineering Research Topics

  • Developing the embedded communication system for the national grid to optimize energy usage.
  • Improvement of inter-symbol interference in optical communications.
  • Defining the boundaries of electrical signals for current electronics systems.
  • The limitation of fiber optic communication systems and the possibility of improving their efficiency.
  • Gaussian pulse analysis and the improvement of this pulse to reduce errors.
  • A study of the various forms of errors and the development of an equalization technique to reduce the error rates in data.
  • Realizing the potential of RFID in the improvement of the supply chain.
  • Design of high-speed communication circuits that effectively cut down signal noise.
  • Radiation in integrated circuits and electronic devices.
  • Spectral sensing research for water monitoring applications and frontier science and technology for chemical, biological, and radiological defense.

Computer and Software Engineering Research Topics

  • How do businesses benefit from the use of data mining technologies?
  • What are the risks of implementing radio-controlled home locks?
  • To what extent should humans interact with computer technologies?
  • Are financial trading systems operating over the web putting clients at risk?
  • What challenges do organizations face with supply chain traceability?
  • Do chatbot technologies negatively impact customer service?
  • What does the future of computer engineering look like?
  • What are the major concepts of software engineering?
  • Are fingerprint-based money machines safe to use?
  • What are the biggest challenges of using different programming languages?
  • The role of risk management in information technology systems of organizations.
  • In what ways does MOOD enhancement help software reliability?
  • Are fingerprint-based voting systems the way of the future?
  • How can one use an AES algorithm for the encryption of images?
  • How can biological techniques be applied to software fault detection?

Read more: Creative Capstone Project Ideas For Students

Network and Cybersecurity Engineering Research Topics

  • Write about Cybersecurity and malware connection.
  • How to detect mobile phone hacking.
  • Discuss Network intrusion detection and remedies.
  • How to improve network security using attack graph models.
  • Explain Modern virus encryption technology.
  • Investigate the importance of algorithm encryption.
  • Discuss the role of a firewall in securing networks.
  • Write about the global cybersecurity strategy.
  • Discuss the Privacy and security issues in chatbots.
  • Write about Cloud security engineering specifics

Industrial Engineering Research Paper Topics

  • The application of lean or Six Sigma in hospitals and services-related industries.
  • The use of operation research techniques to reduce cost or improve efficiency.
  • Advanced manufacturing techniques like additive manufacturing.
  • Innovation as a Complex Adaptive System.
  • CAD-based optimization in any manufacturing environment.
  • Gap analysis in any manufacturing firm.
  • The impact of 3D printing in the manufacturing sector.
  • Simulating a real-life manufacturing environment into simulating software
  • The rise of design and its use in the developing world.
  • Building a network-based methodology to model supply chain systems.
  • Risk optimization With P-order comic constraint
  • Technology and its impact on mass customization
  • How project management becomes more complex with disparate teams and outsourced functions?
  • Scheduling problem for health care patients.

Biomedical Engineering Research Ideas

  • How does the use of medical imaging help patients with higher risks?
  • How can rehabilitation techniques be used to improve a patient’s quality of life?
  • In what ways can biomaterials be used to deliver medications more efficiently?
  • What impact does medical virtual reality have on a patient’s care?
  • What advancements have been made in the field of neural technology?
  • How does nanotechnology pave the way for further advancements in this field?
  • What is computational biology and how does it impact our lives?
  • How accurate are early diagnosis systems in detecting heart diseases?
  • What does the future hold for technology-fueled medications?
  • What are the guiding principles of biomedical engineering research?

Read more: Top Biology Research Topics for Academic Writing

Chemical Engineering Research Topics

  • How can epoxy resins withstand the force generated by a firing gun?
  • The use of software affected design aspects in chemical engineering.
  • What challenges are there for biochemical engineering to support health?
  • The advancements of plastic technology in the last half-century.
  • How can chemical technologies be used to diagnose diseases?
  • What are the most efficient pathways to the development of biofuels?
  • How can charcoal particles be used to filter water in developing countries?
  • Increased production of pharmacy drugs in many countries.
  • How do complex fluids and polymers create more sustainable machinery?

Miscellaneous Engineering Research Ideas

  • Sensing and controlling the intensity of light in LEDs.
  • Design and development of a pressure sensor for a solar thermal panel.
  • Development of microsensors to measure oil flow rate in tanks.
  • How can organizations achieve success by reducing bottlenecks in the supply chain?
  • Research to identify efficient logistics operations within a supply chain.
  • Developing frameworks for sustainable assessments taking into account eco-engineering measures.
  • Research to identify process improvement plans to support business strategies.
  • What can engineers do to address the problems with climate change?
  • The impact of training on knowledge performance index within the supply chain industry.
  • Research to introduce efficiency within information systems and support the timely transfer of knowledge and information.

Final Words

Out of the 150+ engineering research paper topics and ideas suggested in this blog, choose any topic that is convenient for you to conduct research and write about. In case, you have not yet identified a good topic for your engineering research paper, reach out to us immediately. We have numerous PhD-certified experts in various engineering branches to offer help with research paper topic selection, writing, and editing in accordance with your requirements.

Especially, with the support of our scholarly writers, engineering students of all academic levels can complete their assignments on time and achieve the highest possible grades. Furthermore, taking our engineering assignment help would aid you in submitting high-quality and plagiarism-free research papers with proper citations and supporting evidence.

qualitative research topics about engineering

Related Post

Religious Research Paper Topics

220 Amazing Religious Research Paper Topics and Ideas

Research Proposal

Read and Understand How to Write a Research Proposal

Controversial Research Topics

100+ Controversial Research Topics and Ideas to Focus On

About author.

' src=

Jacob Smith

I am an Academic Writer and have affection to share my knowledge through posts’. I do not feel tiredness while research and analyzing the things. Sometime, I write down hundred of research topics as per the students requirements. I want to share solution oriented content to the students.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • Featured Posts

140 Unique Geology Research Topics to Focus On

200+ outstanding world history topics and ideas 2023, 190 excellent ap research topics and ideas, 150+ trending group discussion topics and ideas, 170 funny speech topics to blow the minds of audience, who invented exams learn the history of examination, how to focus on reading 15 effective tips for better concentration, what is a rhetorical analysis essay and how to write it, primary school teacher in australia- eligibility, job role, career options, and salary, 4 steps to build a flawless business letter format, get help instantly.

Raise Your Grades with Assignment Help Pro

Studmentors-logo

161+ Exciting Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

161+ Exciting Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Are you doing Qualitative research? Looking for the best qualitative research topics for stem students? It is a most interesting and good field for research. Qualitative research allows STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students to delve deeper into complex issues, explore human behavior, and understand the intricacies of the world around them.

In this article, we’ll provide you with an extensive list of 161+ qualitative research topics tailored to STEM students. We’ll also explore how to find and choose good qualitative research topics, and why these topics are particularly beneficial for students, including those in high school.

Also Like To Read: 171+ Brilliant Quantitative Research Topics For STEM Students

Table of Contents

What Are Qualitative Research Topics for STEM Students

Qualitative research topics for stem students are questions or issues that necessitate an in-depth exploration of people’s experiences, beliefs, and behaviors. STEM students can use this approach to investigate societal impacts, ethical dilemmas, and user experiences related to scientific advancements and innovations.

Unlike quantitative research, which focuses on numerical data and statistical analysis, qualitative research delves into the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ of a particular phenomenon.

How to Find and Choose Good Qualitative Research Topics

Selecting qualitative research topics for stem students is a crucial step in the research process. Here are some tips to help you find and choose a suitable topic:

How to Find and Choose Good Qualitative Research Topics

  • Passion and Interest: Start by considering your personal interests and passions. What topics within STEM excite you? Research becomes more engaging when you’re genuinely interested in the subject.
  • Relevance: Choose qualitative research topics for stem students. Look for gaps in the existing knowledge or unanswered questions.
  • Literature Review: Conduct a thorough literature review to identify the latest trends and areas where qualitative research is lacking. This can guide you in selecting a topic that contributes to the field.
  • Feasibility: Ensure that your chosen topic is feasible within the resources and time constraints available to you. Some research topics may require extensive resources and funding.
  • Ethical Considerations: Be aware of ethical concerns related to your qualitative research topics for stem students, especially when dealing with human subjects or sensitive issues.

Here are the most exciting and very interesting Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students, high school students, nursing students, college students, etc.

Biology Qualitative Research Topics

  • Impact of Ecosystem Restoration on Biodiversity
  • Ethical Considerations in Human Gene Editing
  • Public Perceptions of Biotechnology in Agriculture
  • Coping Mechanisms and Stress Responses in Marine Biologists
  • Cultural Perspectives on Traditional Herbal Medicine
  • Community Attitudes Toward Wildlife Conservation Efforts
  • Ethical Issues in Animal Testing and Research
  • Indigenous Knowledge and Ethnobotany
  • Psychological Well-being of Conservation Biologists
  • Attitudes Toward Endangered Species Protection

Chemistry Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

  • Adoption of Green Chemistry Practices in the Pharmaceutical Industry
  • Public Perception of Chemical Safety in Household Products
  • Strategies for Improving Chemistry Education
  • Art Conservation and Chemical Analysis
  • Consumer Attitudes Toward Organic Chemistry in Everyday Life
  • Ethical Considerations in Chemical Waste Disposal
  • The Role of Chemistry in Sustainable Agriculture
  • Perceptions of Nanomaterials and Their Applications
  • Chemistry-Related Career Aspirations in High School Students
  • Cultural Beliefs and Traditional Chemical Practices

Physics Qualitative Research Topics

  • Gender Bias in Physics Education and Career Progression
  • Philosophical Implications of Quantum Mechanics
  • Public Understanding of Renewable Energy Technologies
  • Influence of Science Fiction on Scientific Research
  • Perceptions of Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe
  • Student Experiences in High School Physics Classes
  • Physics Outreach Programs and Their Impact on Communities
  • Cultural Variations in the Perception of Time and Space
  • Role of Physics in Environmental Conservation
  • Public Engagement with Science Through Astronomy Events

Engineering Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

  • Ethics in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
  • Human-Centered Design in Engineering
  • Innovation and Sustainability in Civil Engineering
  • Public Perception of Self-Driving Cars
  • Engineering Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation
  • Experiences of Women in Male-Dominated Engineering Fields
  • Role of Engineers in Disaster Response and Recovery
  • Ethical Considerations in Technology Patents
  • Perceptions of Engineering Education and Career Prospects
  • Students Views on the Role of Engineers in Society

Computer Science Qualitative Research Topics

  • Gender Diversity in Tech Companies
  • Ethical Implications of AI-Powered Decision-Making
  • User Experience and Interface Design
  • Cybersecurity Awareness and Behaviors
  • Digital Privacy Concerns and Practices
  • Social Media Use and Mental Health in College Students
  • Gaming Culture and its Impact on Social Interactions
  • Student Attitudes Toward Coding and Programming
  • Online Learning Platforms and Student Satisfaction
  • Perceptions of Artificial Intelligence in Everyday Life

Mathematics Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

  • Gender Stereotypes in Mathematics Education
  • Cultural Variations in Problem-Solving Approaches
  • Perception of Math in Everyday Life
  • Math Anxiety and Coping Mechanisms
  • Historical Development of Mathematical Concepts
  • Attitudes Toward Mathematics Among Elementary School Students
  • Role of Mathematics in Solving Real-World Problems
  • Homeschooling Approaches to Teaching Mathematics
  • Effectiveness of Math Tutoring Programs
  • Math-Related Stereotypes in Society

Environmental Science Qualitative Research Topics

  • Local Communities’ Responses to Climate Change
  • Public Understanding of Conservation Practices
  • Sustainable Agriculture and Farmer Perspectives
  • Environmental Education and Behavior Change
  • Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation
  • Conservation Awareness and Behavior of Tourists
  • Climate Change Perceptions Among Youth
  • Perceptions of Water Scarcity and Resource Management
  • Environmental Activism and Youth Engagement
  • Community Responses to Environmental Disasters

Geology and Earth Sciences Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

  • Geologists’ Risk Perception and Decision-Making
  • Volcano Hazard Preparedness in At-Risk Communities
  • Public Attitudes Toward Geological Hazards
  • Environmental Consequences of Extractive Industries
  • Perceptions of Geological Time and Deep Earth Processes
  • Use of Geospatial Technology in Environmental Research
  • Role of Geology in Disaster Preparedness and Response
  • Geological Factors Influencing Urban Planning
  • Community Engagement in Geoscience Education
  • Climate Change Communication and Public Understanding

Astronomy and Space Science Qualitative Research Topics

  • The Role of Science Communication in Astronomy Education
  • Perceptions of Space Exploration and Colonization
  • UFO and Extraterrestrial Life Beliefs
  • Public Understanding of Black Holes and Neutron Stars
  • Space Tourism and Future Space Travel
  • Impact of Space Science Outreach Programs on Student Interest
  • Cultural Beliefs and Rituals Related to Celestial Events
  • Space Science in Indigenous Knowledge Systems
  • Public Engagement with Astronomical Phenomena
  • Space Exploration in Science Fiction and Popular Culture

Medicine and Health Sciences Qualitative Research Topics

  • Patient-Physician Communication and Trust
  • Ethical Considerations in Human Cloning and Genetic Modification
  • Public Attitudes Toward Vaccination
  • Coping Strategies for Healthcare Workers in Pandemics
  • Cultural Beliefs and Health Practices
  • Health Disparities Among Underserved Communities
  • Medical Decision-Making and Informed Consent
  • Mental Health Stigma and Help-Seeking Behavior
  • Wellness Practices and Health-Related Beliefs
  • Perceptions of Alternative and Complementary Medicine

Psychology Qualitative Research Topics

  • Perceptions of Body Image in Different Cultures
  • Workplace Stress and Coping Mechanisms
  • LGBTQ+ Youth Experiences and Well-Being
  • Cross-Cultural Differences in Parenting Styles and Outcomes
  • Perceptions of Psychotherapy and Counseling
  • Attitudes Toward Medication for Mental Health Conditions
  • Psychological Well-being of Older Adults
  • Role of Cultural and Social Factors in Psychological Well-being
  • Technology Use and Its Impact on Mental Health

Social Sciences Qualitative Research Topics

  • Political Polarization and Online Echo Chambers
  • Immigration and Acculturation Experiences
  • Educational Inequality and School Policy
  • Youth Engagement in Environmental Activism
  • Identity and Social Media in the Digital Age
  • Social Media and Its Influence on Political Beliefs
  • Family Dynamics and Conflict Resolution
  • Social Support and Coping Strategies in College Students
  • Perceptions of Cyberbullying Among Adolescents
  • Impact of Social Movements on Societal Change

Interesting Sociology Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

  • Perceptions of Racial Inequality and Discrimination
  • Aging and Quality of Life in Elderly Populations
  • Gender Roles and Expectations in Relationships
  • Online Communities and Social Support
  • Cultural Practices and Beliefs Related to Marriage
  • Family Dynamics and Coping Mechanisms
  • Perceptions of Community Safety and Policing
  • Attitudes Toward Social Welfare Programs
  • Influence of Media on Perceptions of Social Issues
  • Youth Perspectives on Education and Career Aspirations

Anthropology Qualitative Research Topics

  • Traditional Knowledge and Biodiversity Conservation
  • Cultural Variation in Parenting Practices
  • Indigenous Language Revitalization Efforts
  • Social Impacts of Tourism on Indigenous Communities
  • Rituals and Ceremonies in Different Cultural Contexts
  • Food and Identity in Cultural Practices
  • Traditional Healing and Healthcare Practices
  • Indigenous Rights and Land Conservation
  • Ethnographic Studies of Marginalized Communities
  • Cultural Practices Surrounding Death and Mourning

Economics and Business Qualitative Research Topics

  • Small Business Resilience in Times of Crisis
  • Workplace Diversity and Inclusion
  • Corporate Social Responsibility Perceptions
  • International Trade and Cultural Perceptions
  • Consumer Behavior and Decision-Making in E-Commerce
  • Business Ethics and Ethical Decision-Making
  • Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Startups
  • Perceptions of Economic Inequality and Wealth Distribution
  • Impact of Economic Policies on Communities
  • Role of Economic Education in Financial Literacy

Good Education Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

  • Homeschooling Experiences and Outcomes
  • Teacher Burnout and Coping Strategies
  • Inclusive Education and Special Needs Integration
  • Student Perspectives on Online Learning
  • High-Stakes Testing and Its Impact on Students
  • Multilingual Education and Bilingualism
  • Perceptions of Educational Technology in Classrooms
  • School Climate and Student Well-being
  • Teacher-Student Relationships and Their Effects on Learning
  • Cultural Diversity in Education and Inclusion

Environmental Engineering Qualitative Research Topics

  • Sustainable Transportation and Community Preferences
  • Ethical Considerations in Waste Reduction and Recycling
  • Public Attitudes Toward Renewable Energy Projects
  • Environmental Impact Assessment and Community Engagement
  • Sustainable Urban Planning and Neighborhood Perceptions
  • Water Quality and Conservation Practices in Residential Areas
  • Green Building Practices and User Experiences
  • Community Resilience in the Face of Climate Change
  • Role of Environmental Engineers in Disaster Preparedness

Why Qualitative Research Topics Are Good for STEM Students

  • Deeper Understanding: Qualitative research encourages STEM students to explore complex issues from a human perspective. This deepens their understanding of the broader impact of scientific discoveries and technological advancements.
  • Critical Thinking: Qualitative research fosters critical thinking skills by requiring students to analyze and interpret data, consider diverse viewpoints, and draw nuanced conclusions.
  • Real-World Relevance: Many qualitative research topics have real-world applications. Students can address problems, inform policy, and contribute to society by investigating issues that matter.
  • Interdisciplinary Learning: Qualitative research often transcends traditional STEM boundaries, allowing students to draw on insights from psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other fields.
  • Preparation for Future Careers: Qualitative research skills are valuable in various STEM careers, as they enable students to communicate complex ideas and understand the human and social aspects of their work.

Qualitative Research Topics for High School STEM Students

High school STEM students can benefit from qualitative research by honing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Here are some qualitative research topics suitable for high school students:

  • Perceptions of STEM Education: Investigate students’ and teachers’ perceptions of STEM education and its effectiveness.
  • Environmental Awareness: Examine the factors influencing high school students’ environmental awareness and eco-friendly behaviors.
  • Digital Learning in the Classroom: Explore the impact of technology on learning experiences and student engagement.
  • STEM Gender Gap: Analyze the reasons behind the gender gap in STEM fields and potential strategies for closing it.
  • Science Communication: Study how high school students perceive and engage with popular science communication channels, like YouTube and podcasts.
  • Impact of Extracurricular STEM Activities: Investigate how participation in STEM clubs and competitions influences students’ interest and performance in science and technology.

In essence, these are the best qualitative research topics for STEM students in the Philippines and are usable for other countries students too. Qualitative research topics offer STEM students a unique opportunity to explore the multifaceted aspects of their fields, develop essential skills, and contribute to meaningful discoveries. With the right topic selection, a strong research design, and ethical considerations, STEM students can easily get the best knowledge on exciting qualitative research that benefits both their career growth. So, choose a topic that resonates with your interests and get best job in your interest field.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

  • Faculty of Engineering and Architecture

Research topics

The main research topics at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture are:

Architecture and infrastructural design

  • Architecture and urban planning
  • Climate control in buildings
  • Fatigue in large constructions
  • Concrete, steel and glass structures
  • Hydraulics and maritime technology
  • Bridge design and construction

Materials science and engineering

  • Metals science and technology
  • Concrete technology
  • Advanced textiles, fibrous materials and composites
  • Durability and sustainability of materials
  • Advanced material characterization techniques
  • Fracture and damage mechanics
  • Multi-scale modeling of materials

Modeling and systems design

  • Design of optimal logistic systems and supply chains
  • Control of complex dynamical systems
  • Stochastic modeling of systems
  • Signal processing
  • Neural networks and Reservoir computing
  • Computer architecture: modelling and optimization
  • Multiphysics modeling and numerical simulations
  • Multiscale modeling of chemical production processes
  • Atomic-level tailoring of nanomaterials

Biomedical engineering

  • Biomedical imaging
  • Biomedical signal processing
  • Bio-fluid and tissue mechanics
  • Medical devices
  • Biomaterials
  • Advanced feedback control methods

Sustainable energy and machinery

  • Alternative fuels for engines
  • Renewable energy
  • Electrical power systems
  • Clean technologies in chemical reaction engineering
  • Nuclear fusion and plasmas

Electronics and electronic devices    

  • From applied physics to electronic applications
  • Electromagnetics
  • Advanced components, circuits, and systems design
  • Microsystems technology
  • Display components and systems
  • Sofware, hardware and embedded systems

ICT and multimedia

  • Broadband communication networks
  • Wireless and cable networks
  • Multimedia (trans)coding and processing
  • Multimedia content analysis, synthesis and recognition
  • Content management
  • Semantic web technology
  • Standardization for networks and multimedia
  • Write my thesis
  • Thesis writers
  • Buy thesis papers
  • Bachelor thesis
  • Master's thesis
  • Thesis editing services
  • Thesis proofreading services
  • Buy a thesis online
  • Write my dissertation
  • Dissertation proposal help
  • Pay for dissertation
  • Custom dissertation
  • Dissertation help online
  • Buy dissertation online
  • Cheap dissertation
  • Dissertation editing services
  • Write my research paper
  • Buy research paper online
  • Pay for research paper
  • Research paper help
  • Order research paper
  • Custom research paper
  • Cheap research paper
  • Research papers for sale
  • Thesis subjects
  • How It Works

Qualitative Research Topics & Ideas For Students

The Best Qualitative Research Topics For Students

Do you have difficulty finding a qualitative research title for your project? If you are, you need not worry because you are not alone. However, there are many unique qualitative titles you can explore for your research. You just need a few qualitative research title examples to get you started. Qualitative research is focused on data obtained through a researcher’s first-hand observations, natural setting recording, artifacts, case studies, documents, questionnaires, and interviews. The findings in qualitative research are usually non-numerical. Also, it is common in humanities and social sciences. This post provides over 100 qualitative research topics you can consider.

  • The Best Qualitative Research Topics That Impress the Teacher

Exceptional Qualitative Research Topics In Social Science

Qualitative research title examples for students, fantastic examples of qualitative research titles, good topics to start for qualitative research, qualitative research topics in education, quick examples of qualitative research topics, qualitative research topics in the philippines, qualitative researches topics about humanity & social science, great choices of qualitative research title examples, qualitative research topics for students to think about, our examples of the best qualitative research topics that impress the teacher.

An excellent research topic will help you earn a good grade. Consider any example of a qualitative research title from the following options:

  • The impacts of social media on physical social engagement in society
  • The benefits of treating mental disorders with medication
  • The effects of Gender-Based Violence on women’s social lives in rural areas
  • The decline of academic pursuit in third-world countries
  • Sexual workers: the stigma they experience
  • How has the promotion of feminist values influenced workplaces?
  • Free education: its impact in third-world countries
  • What is the correlation between education and success?
  • Ableism: its effects on disabled people in society
  • Food insecurity in third-world nations
The topic of your research paper can influence how easily you can conduct your study and draw conclusions.

Here are fantastic examples of qualitative research titles:

  • Female harm: how it is influenced by culture
  • The socioeconomic impacts of free education
  • The link between food insecurity and poor performance in schools
  • Alcoholism among college students: a critical study
  • How to mitigate child labor in our society
  • The root causes of child labor in Latin America
  • The stigma of living with transmissive medical conditions
  • The root cause of the stigma of people living with disabilities
  • How to identify depression in small children
  • Signs of autism in kids below two years old

Choosing a qualitative research topic is not a task you should take lightly because it can influence your performance. Here are some noteworthy qualitative research titles examples:

  • Basic patient care policies in developing nations
  • The impacts of alcoholism on education
  • Adult learning: what does it entail?
  • Homeschooling: Is it the latest trend after the pandemic?
  • Does computer literacy influence the quality of education kids enjoy?
  • How to effectively teach students with learning disabilities
  • The relationship between poor education systems and crime rates in third-world countries
  • Student bullying: the psychological impacts
  • Should high school students go through university preparedness programs?
  • research writing in high schools: its significance

Are you looking for qualitative research topic examples to start your study? Below are some creative examples to consider:

  • Remote tests: are they as effective as in-class tests?
  • The value of social activities in academic institutions
  • Why should healthcare be free in all countries?
  • The implications of racist laws on society
  • The reception of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments
  • What is the difference between foreign policies in first-world and third-world nations?
  • Racism and Colorism: what is the difference?
  • Dissecting the causes of low voter turnouts in the 21 st century
  • The challenges of social media on kid’s brain development
  • The inclusion of black women in American politics and its impacts

When competing with several brilliant minds, a good research topic can do you greatly. The following qualitative research examples titles are a great place to start:

  • Should school uniforms be discarded for high schoolers?
  • The need for equal representation in global politics
  • The implications of police brutality on politics
  • The role of parental care in foster kids
  • The distinction between Islamic values and Christian values
  • The correlation between political instability and migration
  • Sex trafficking and violence against women: what is the link?
  • How can global governments eradicate homelessness?
  • Fraternities and sororities: are they still relevant?
  • The role of literature in promoting societal changes

Qualitative research is popular in the education field and other social sciences. Choose a qualitative research title example on the subject of education from the following list:

  • Effectively introducing foreign languages in the high school curriculum
  • How can teachers help students with disabilities improve their learning?
  • The link between social activities and comprehension among students
  • Research writing in high schools: is it necessary?
  • How has virtual learning influenced teacher-student relationships?
  • The implications of allowing smartphones in classes
  • Should all schools introduce sign language lessons in their curriculum?
  • Student loans: their impacts on black students
  • The impacts of race on college acceptance rates
  • Poverty and education: what is the link?
  • Ethnic and socioeconomic causes of poor school attendance in developing worlds
  • Various teaching methods and their efficiency
  • Efficient teaching methods for children below two years
  • Why do students perform better in humanities than in sciences?
  • The difference between college acceptance and completion in most nations
  • Remote learning in developing countries
  • What are the best ways of approaching bullying in schools?
  • How do teachers promote inequality among students?
  • Does social class influence academic performance negatively or positively?
  • How do teachers shape their students’ personalities?

Coming up with a qualitative research title can be hard because of the numerous subject areas and the issue of uniqueness. Therefore, we have prepared the following qualitative title examples for you:

  • How to promote oral learning in classrooms
  • Political instability in developing countries: its economic impacts
  • The impacts of weather on social activities
  • Boredom and poor-decision making: the connection
  • Exploring the connection between attachment types and love languages
  • Socioeconomic impacts of instability on a country
  • How does social media impact the perception of reality
  • Reality TV shows: are they a true reflection of reality?
  • How culture applies to different age groups
  • Is social media influencing the loss of cultural values?

You can base your research topic on a specific region or nation, like the Philippines. A sample qualitative research title can get you started. You can pick a sample qualitative research title from the ideas below:

  • Why are so many Philippines residents migrating to America?
  • The impact of politics on migration in the Philippines
  • How has violence led to food insecurity in rural areas in the Philippines?
  • The Philippine education system: an overview
  • How cultural norms influence social activities in the Philippines
  • Gender roles in the Philippines society
  • How popular Filipino cultures have served as agents of social change in the nation
  • The link between male dominance and GBV in the Philippines
  • Barriers to clean hygiene in health centers in the Philippines
  • The spread of COVID in rural areas in the Philippines

Most top performers in research subjects attribute their success to choosing the best title for qualitative research. Here are some qualitative research topics about humanities and social science to promote good performance:

  • The impact of poor market rivalry on supply and demand
  • The role of parents in shaping kids’ morals
  • Is social media the root cause of poor societal morals?
  • How does alcohol impact a person’s normal behavior?
  • How often should adults engage in sporting activities?
  • Children’s eating habits and their influences
  • Low socioeconomic backgrounds and their impacts on self-esteem
  • The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world’s views on viral diseases
  • How can school-going kids manage depression
  • Causes of mental challenges among school-going kids

Finding a good topic for qualitative research is a critical task that requires a lot of thought and research. However, we have simplified the process with the following qualitative topic ideas:

  • Pop music and erratic youth behavior: is there a link?
  • How do public figures influence cultures?
  • Ideas for improving healthcare in developing nations
  • Possible solutions for alleviating the food crisis in developing nations
  • New ways of mitigating viral diseases
  • Social media trends among the elderly
  • Quarantine as a mitigation approach for infectious diseases
  • Promoting social justice in patriarchal societies
  • Worrying trends among the young population
  • Emerging marketing trends in 2023

Qualitative research for college and high school students helps improve reading, writing, and intellectual skills. Here are some qualitative research examples and topic ideas for students :

  • How to detect and prevent natural disasters beforehand
  • Can the whole world have the same education system?
  • What is the most effective therapy for patients recuperating from brain surgery?
  • Possible solutions for promoting ethical practices in telehealth
  • Can addicts overcome addiction without therapy?
  • The latest technology trends and their impacts?
  • How can global governments promote mental health awareness?
  • Have smartphones caused reduced attention spans among users?
  • Sexual violence in rural areas
  • The introduction of Islam in African nations

We Are Here for You

Qualitative research is an investigative analysis of intangible or inexact data, mostly non-numerical. The title of qualitative research you choose will guide your entire research process and influence its conclusions. Do you need a paper or an example of a research title qualitative topic? Our expert team is ready to write it for you.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

  • Open access
  • Published: 12 April 2024

Healthcare team resilience during COVID-19: a qualitative study

  • John W. Ambrose 1 ,
  • Ken Catchpole 2 ,
  • Heather L. Evans 3 ,
  • Lynne S. Nemeth 1 ,
  • Diana M. Layne 1 &
  • Michelle Nichols 1  

BMC Health Services Research volume  24 , Article number:  459 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

186 Accesses

Metrics details

Resilience, in the field of Resilience Engineering, has been identified as the ability to maintain the safety and the performance of healthcare systems and is aligned with the resilience potentials of anticipation, monitoring, adaptation, and learning. In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the resilience of US healthcare systems due to the lack of equipment, supply interruptions, and a shortage of personnel. The purpose of this qualitative research was to describe resilience in the healthcare team during the COVID-19 pandemic with the healthcare team situated as a cognizant, singular source of knowledge and defined by its collective identity, purpose, competence, and actions, versus the resilience of an individual or an organization.

We developed a descriptive model which considered the healthcare team as a unified cognizant entity within a system designed for safe patient care. This model combined elements from the Patient Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) and the Advanced Team Decision Making (ADTM) models. Using a qualitative descriptive design and guided by our adapted model, we conducted individual interviews with healthcare team members across the United States. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and extracted codes were organized within the adapted model framework.

Five themes were identified from the interviews with acute care professionals across the US ( N  = 22): teamwork in a pressure cooker , consistent with working in a high stress environment; healthcare team cohesion , applying past lessons to present challenges , congruent with transferring past skills to current situations; knowledge gaps , and altruistic behaviors , aligned with sense of duty and personal responsibility to the team. Participants’ described how their ability to adapt to their environment was negatively impacted by uncertainty, inconsistent communication of information, and emotions of anxiety, fear, frustration, and stress. Cohesion with co-workers, transferability of skills, and altruistic behavior enhanced healthcare team performance.

Working within the extreme unprecedented circumstances of COVID-19 affected the ability of the healthcare team to anticipate and adapt to the rapidly changing environment. Both team cohesion and altruistic behavior promoted resilience. Our research contributes to a growing understanding of the importance of resilience in the healthcare team. And provides a bridge between individual and organizational resilience.

Peer Review reports

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the complexity and dynamic nature of healthcare systems. It also created a unique opportunity to look at the concept of resilience through the lens of the healthcare team versus the more common approach of situating the concept within the individual or the organization. The early phase of the pandemic was marked by challenges, such as limited access to personal protective equipment, personnel shortages, drug shortages, and increased risks of infection [ 1 , 2 ]. Ensuring patient safety and proper functioning requires coordination and adaptation of the healthcare team and various processes across the health system infrastructure [ 3 , 4 ]. Resilience results from adaptive coordination which enables healthcare systems to maintain routine function in the face of all conditions [ 5 , 6 ].

Resilience in healthcare has been operationalized through resilience engineering, an interdisciplinary aspect of systems engineering focused on promotingpatient safety through the design, implementation, and management of healthcare systems [ 7 , 8 , 9 ] (e.g., how healthcare systems adapt and adjust to maneuver through the daily complexities and challenges to identify effective practices, prevent errors and maintain resilient performance) [ 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Resilient performance in healthcare is proposed to be the net result of reaching the threshold of four resilience capabilities within the system: anticipation, the ability to expect and prepare for the unexpected; monitoring, the ability to observe threats to daily system performance; responding, the ability to adapt how the performance is enacted; and learning, the ability to learn from present and past accomplishments within the system [ 12 ]. At present, there is a paucity of research on the resilience of the healthcare team as a cohesive, singular conscious source of knowledge in a highly complex healthcare system. While the resilience of both healthcare systems [ 11 , 13 ] and healthcare workers [ 14 ] has been investigated, there is a gap in knowledge specific to the resilience of the healthcare team as a unified singular consciousness. The circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique opportunity to understand the resilience of the healthcare team in a highly complex system as a singular aware entity within the system; how it acknowledges itself, defines its purpose, and performs under extenuating circumstances. This shifts the emphasis of individual and organization resilience to the resilience in the interconnected healthcare team that extends beyond the boundary of any single person.

The adapted model situates the healthcare team as a cohesive singlular conscious source of knowledge within an intricate and highly complex system [ 15 ]. This model was designed as a bridge between resilience found in individuals within the healthcare system and the organization to emphasize the healthcare team as an aware, unified whole. Our model [ 15 ] combines the existing Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS) model [ 16 ] (version 1), which is based on five domains (organization, person, tasks, technologies, and tools), and environment and the Advanced Team Decision Making Model [ 17 ], which includes components for team performance [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Team performance is comprised of team identity, team cognition, team competency, and team metacognition [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]. Team identity describes how the team identifies their purpose to help one another [ 17 ]. Team cognition describes the state of mind of the team, their focus, and common goals [ 17 ]. Team competency describes how well the team accomplishes tasks, and team metacognition describes problem solving and responsibility [ 17 , 19 ], Fig.  1 .

figure 1

Healthcare Team as a cohesive, singular conscious source of knowledge in a highly complex system. The continuous variegated border represents the singularity and connectedness of the healthcare team within the system. The gears represent the processes, people, technology, and tasks within this highly dynamic healthcare system

The purpose of this qualitative research was to describe resilience in the healthcare team during the COVID-19 pandemic with the healthcare team situated as a singular conscious source of knowledge defined by its collective identity, purpose, competence, and actions. Additionally, we sought to identify factors that may facilitate or hinder the healthcare team from achieving the necessary capabilities to monitor, anticipate, adapt, and learn to meet the standard for resilient performance.

Methodology

A qualitative descriptive design [ 20 , 21 ] was employed. The interview guide was framed using the adapted model to explore various aspects of healthcare team performance (identity, purpose, competence, and cognition). These questions were pilot tested on the first 3 participants and no further changes were needed. Specifically, we aimed to investigate resilience capabilities, decision-making processes, and overall healthcare team performance.

Sampling strategy

A purposive snowball sample was used to identify healthcare team members who worked in U.S. acute care settings between January 2020–December 2020. This sampling method was used to ensure recruitment of participants most likely to have insight into the phenomenon of resilience in the acute care setting.

Inclusion criteria

To explore a wide range of interprofessional experience, participants were recruited across geographic regions and professional roles through personal contacts and social media [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]. Eligible participants included English-speaking individuals ages 20 and older with a valid personal email address, internet access, and the ability to participate in an online video interview. Potential participants had to be employed full or part-time for any period from January 2020–December 2020 in any of the following acute healthcare environments: emergency room (ER), intensive care unit (ICU), COVID- 19 ICU, COVID-19 floor, gastroenterology inpatient unit, endoscopy suite, operating room (OR), post anesthesia recovery room (PACU), pre-operative holding area, hospital administration, or inpatient medical and/or surgical patient care unit.

Exclusion criteria

Healthcare team members who did not complete the pre-screening survey or failed to schedule an interview were not enrolled.

National recruitment in the U.S

Upon approval by MUSC Institutional Review Board (IRB), registered under Pro00100917, fliers, social media posts on Twitter TM (version 9.34 IOS, San Francisco, California) and Facebook TM (version 390.1 IOS, Menlo Park, CA), and word of mouth were used to initiate recruitment efforts. Interested participants were sent a link to an electronic screening survey explaining the purpose of the study and verifying the respondents’ eligibility to participate. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects.

Data collection

Data were collected via an initial screening questionnaire to determine eligibility. Data were managed using REDCap™ (version 11.2.2) electronic data capture tools hosted at MUSC. Demographic data included age, sex, race, professional role, years of experience, geographic region, patient population served, practice specialty area, and deployment status during the pandemic. Deployment refers to the reassignment of personnel from their primary clinical area to another area to meet the demands of another clinical area without regard for the participant’s clinical expertise. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured audio video recorded interviews to understand the healthcare team in their natural environment. Recorded interviews were conducted via Microsoft® Teams (version 1.5.00.17261, Microsoft Corporation) from the PIs private office to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 transmission and promote participation across the U.S.

Data monitoring and safety

The quality of the demographic data was monitored to ensure completeness. Potential participants who submitted incomplete responses on the questionnaire were excluded. Interviews were transcribed using software, transcriptions were reviewed and verified for accuracy, and then uploaded to MAXQDA Analytics Pro, Version 2022 (VERBI software) to facilitate data analysis. Transcripts were not returned to the participants. Qualitative codebooks, institutional review board (IRB) logs, and other study records were stored on a secure university server, with access limited to authorized study personnel. Adherence to Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) standards were maintained throughout the study and analysis [ 26 ].

Data analysis

Quantitative analysis.

Demographic data were analyzed using SPSS Statistics for MAC, version 28 (IBM). Both descriptive statistics for the continuous variables of age and years of experience (mean, standard deviation) and frequency tables (age, sex, race, role, geographic region, population served, deployment status) were analyzed.

Qualitative analysis

The Principal Investigator (PI) (JA) and senior mentor (MN) independently coded the interview transcripts. Open coding method was used to identify the categories of data [ 22 , 27 ]. Both a reflexive journal and audit trail were maintained. Codes were identified through induction from participant experiences and verified through weekly consensus meetings, while theoretical deductive analysis was guided by the adapted model and the four resilience capabilities (anticipation, monitoring, responding, learning [ 12 ]. Reflexive thematic analysis (TA) [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ] was used to analyze the coded data and generate themes. Data were collected and categorized into the codebook until no further codes were identified by the PI and research mentor [ 22 , 27 ]. Participant checking was not employed.

Demographics

The eligibility pool was established based on survey completion. Eighty-nine healthcare team members opened the online screening survey; 21 were incomplete and eliminated from the dataset, which left a pool of 68 potential eligible participants. Eligible participants (100%) were contacted by email and phone to determine their interest in completing the study interview. Twenty-two participants completed screening surveys and study interviews between May–September 2021, equating to a 32.5% enrollment rate. Participant interviews lasted between 21 and 91 min with an average of 43 min. None of the interviews were repeated. Participant demographics, including descriptive statistic and role key, are noted in Tables  1 and 2 , respectively.

Five themes were identified: team work in a pressure cooker , healthcare team cohesion , applying past lessons to present challenges , knowledge gaps , and altruistic behaviors .

Teamwork in a pressure cooker

The theme teamwork in a pressure cooker describes the relentless pressures and emotional stressors (e.g., fear, anxiety, frustration, and stress) experienced by the healthcare team from the risks and potential threats associated with COVID-19 contamination and infection. Factors associated with these pressures included risk of COVID-19 exposure, lack of COVID-19 testing, rapid changes to policies and procedures from the standard, personnel shortages, limited physical space, and limited supplies. Exemplary quotes highlighting participant descriptions of these pressures or subthemes are noted in Table  3 .

The healthcare team described an unprecedented level of stress in the workplace as the healthcare team had to adjust to rapidly changing protocols. The lack of protective equipment, shortage of providers to perform patient care and a lack of a familiar clinical routine saturated them in overwhelming pressure and emotions that stuck to them as they navigated uncharted territory. Exemplary quotes highlighting the healthcare team’s descriptions of these emotions are noted in Table  4 .

“It was…uncharted territory for me.” (P1, DIR) “You were stuck in a situation you never— you didn’t know when it was going to end.” (P4, RN PACU) “They have not enough staff—they can’t do it—they—I don’t know what we’re going to do.” (P6, DIR). “When we deployed—trying to get re-accustomed to the changes—with the needs that had to be met was very difficult.” (P10, RN ENDO) “I wasn’t about to sign up for extra time working in under those stressful conditions.” (P17, RN PACU)

The fear of the unknown, combined with the constant need to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, led to widespread stress, frustration, anxiety, and exhaustion within the healthcare team. This theme was characterized by the constant pressure both inside and outside of work experienced by the healthcare team.

“Driving to the hospital, crying, driving back from the hospital, crying, still doesn’t sum it up— surrounded by people who were just dying. And what could you do?” (P6, DIR) “It was constant. It was terrible. I couldn’t sleep at night. I’d wake up worried.” (P8, ER MD) “It was kind of like just keep sending the Calvary forward—and when one drops, you just walk over them.” (P17, RN PACU) “It was always there—COVID here, COVID there—you never could just completely get away from it. It was basically the center of everybody’s conversation everywhere you went or if you were on the phone with somebody.” (P18, RN COVID ICU) “I was having to call my parents before I’d leave my apartment to go into work— to vent to them and cry— to let out my frustration and my anxiety—and have them essentially convince me to go into work.” (P19, RN ICU). “Working so much— COVID was all that was on my brain—and it was a lot of pressure.” (P22, MGR)

Working during COVID-19 challenged the resilience of the healthcare team in the face of constant fear and uncertainty. The pressure to maintain team performance, while dealing with constant fear associated with the pandemic effected the healthcare team’s resilience.

“I have to tell you that after being in hospital—I don’t feel resilient right now— doing all the things I’ve done—I just want to be out of the hospital— [crying] I can tell you that it will stay with me the rest of my life— It will always stay with me.” (P6, DIR) “I feel like my team has used up all of their resilience. I don’t think there’s much left.” (P8, ER MD)

However, one team member stood out as an exception. They reported the pressures from the environment helped them to make decisions. This demonstrates that environmental pressures affect members of the healthcare team differently. They reported that the pressure and intensity of the situation sharpened their focus and allowed them to make choices more quickly and effectively.

“I make better decisions when I’m under pressure.” (P22, MGR)

Healthcare team cohesion

The theme healthcare team cohesion describes the unique experience of working together during the pandemic that created a means among the healthcare team to form close relationships and unite. This bond was characterized by the emergence of strong interpersonal connections among healthcare professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. These connections shaped healthcare team relationships and were a factor in the collaborative decision-making processes within healthcare team for their day-to day functions. This cohesive bonding was fueled by the stress and uncertainty of the situation, which brought the healthcare team together illustrated by their solidarity, camaraderie, trust, and empowerment.

“All those decisions, important decisions were made together.” (P7, CRNA) “Everyone felt like they were they were, you know, in a in a battle zone and on the same side—and so that kind of brought people together.” (P8, ER MD) “I think our team worked as one.” (P11, CEO)

Solidarity described the sense of unity evident among the members of the healthcare team. This was characterized by connectedness and a sense of reliance on one another that promoted teamwork and resilience within the team from support both given and received. The sub-theme camaraderie described the close personal connection and support between the healthcare team that went beyond normal social interactions prior to the pandemic. These connections were filled with trust and respect for other healthcare team members.

“I think we were all trying to do the best we could do and help each other do the best they could do—I think early on just camaraderie helped a lot within the department and, you know, just relying on each other for support.” (P8, ER MD) “We knew that we can depend on each other and we all had different skill sets— I think that that was very important—that made us feel secure— rather than going alone.” (P10, RN ENDO) “We [The ICU Nurses] developed a sense of camaraderie that I mean, it’s nothing I’ve ever felt before, like we had to trust each other with our licenses, with our own health—my resiliency came from my coworkers.” (P14, CHG RN) “One of the things that I think the pandemic did in a positive—was—I believe that the teams that I worked for really started to solidify. We leaned on each other. I felt more of a team environment than I had had pre-pandemic—I felt that people were a bit better together. We all needed each other, and we all leaned on each other, and we gave each other support—more so than before COVID- 19.” (P15, CRNA) ”The nurses on the unit were always there for me—they became my friends— my family.” (P19, RN ICU)

The sub theme of empowerment referred to the ability of the healthcare team to confidently make decisions and assume responsibility for their actions within the healthcare setting. This process involved a sense of authority and the ability to exercise agency in decision-making together to respond and adapt to the demands the healthcare team experienced. The combination of solidarity, camaraderie, trust, and empowerment resulted in a strong sense of cohesion within the healthcare team which led to improved relationships and enhanced resilience in their performance.

“I felt that I felt that the team—we all needed each other and we all leaned on each other and we gave each other support—more so than before COVID.” (P15, CRNA) “How do you want to handle this? What’s the plan?—and we collaborated in the true sense of collaboration.” (P15, CRNA) “We just knew that we could count on each other—we knew that we could count on each other at any time if we had questions, because we all worked so closely together during this. We really became a really tight knit group, and it was great.” (P22, MGR)

The benefits of the cohesion found in the healthcare team were significant and apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The strengthened relationships and increased resilience allowed for improved communication and collaboration, leading to better patient care and outcomes. Despite these advantages, it was noted by one participant that the relationships developed were not sustained beyond the peak of the pandemic.

“Now that COVID is kind of at bay in our area, it’s kind of gone back to the same way it was— it has not stuck.” (P15, CRNA)

Applying past lessons to present challenges

The theme applying past lessons to present challenges describes how the knowledge and understanding gained from prior participant experiences was used to adapt to the novel clinical and infrastructural challenges faced during the pandemic. Past experiences facilitated the healthcare team to strategize ways to meet the demands of the healthcare system during this time.

Participants described two strategies the healthcare team used to improve the system’s ability to adapt and function effectively: changing roles and deploying personnel. The process of changing roles involved assigning new responsibilities to individuals based on priority-based initiatives, while deployment involved transferring clinical staff from areas with lower patient care needs to those with higher needs to optimize their utilization. Eleven participants (50%) were affected by these strategies. Of these, 73% were assigned to clinical areas for direct patient care, while the remaining 27% underwent a role change to support the operational needs of the system. The participants’ preexisting work relationships, specialized clinical expertise, and leadership abilities helped them adapt to their new clinical and non-clinical roles, which in turn enhanced the resilience of the healthcare team.

“We wanted to make sure that we were putting people into the right area where their skill set could be used the best.” (P1, DIR) “I’m known for moving people forward—I’m also well known for speaking up when I don’t think it is right and there was a lot of stuff that I didn’t think was right— and not only speaking up, I’m also going to come with the solution.” (P6, DIR)

Participants indicated the lessons learned from prior experience positively impacted team performance and improved patient care outcomes. There were two significant examples in the data: the perspective of a nurse who was redeployed to work in an obstetrics unit (P5, ENDO RN) and the perspective of a nursing director (P6, DIR) whose role was changed to develop a program to ensure adequate staffing.

“Because we [the team of interprofessionals] were all very familiar with what we had to do at the task, at handit [the experience of the provision of care] was very fluid—I think it’s because of our years of experience and working with each other for so long that it just worked out very well ”. (P5, ENDO RN) “Staff believed in me when I said I would do something— I could galvanize people because of my reputation of caring for staff, so I was chosen specifically because of my ability to move people forward in spite of things.” (P6, DIR)

Participants identified being assigned to unfamiliar clinical areas or working with unfamiliar patient populations as a barrier that hindered their ability to adapt to clinical situations. The lack of clinical competence among some personnel led to an increase in workload for other healthcare team members, who had to provide additional instruction and guidance on how to complete the task. Decision-makers who deployed nursing staff to a clinical area with higher staffing needs may have believed that the individual nurse had specific clinical skills that would be helpful in that area, and this was not the case.

“She [the patient] felt like it was that he [the new nurse]—really didn’t know what he was doing—not only were we kind of reintroduced to that role of caring for patients where we haven’t been recently, but we’re also in a teaching mode, too, for the new nurses—we had to prioritize how sick the patients were, from basic vital signs to wound dressings to respiratory, and help those new nurses know which to attend to first.” (P10, RN ENDO) “Nurses weren’t really put in a place with enough support and enough resources to be able to do a job, and to do a job that maybe they haven’t done for a few years.” (P10, RN ENDO)

The participants indicated that clinical competencies of a healthcare provider in one patient population may not necessarily be applicable to another patient group. For instance, a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse who has experience in managing Extra Corporeal Membranous Oxygen (ECMO) in newborns may not have the necessary skills to care for adult ECMO patients in an adult COVID-19 intensive care unit.

“The ECMO nurse was a NICU nurse, so she really could not help me.” (P14, CHG RN)

Knowledge gaps

The theme knowledge gaps refers to the disparity between the existing knowledge of the healthcare team and the knowledge required for the team to effectively respond and adapt to the needs of the healthcare system. The lack of COVID-19 specific knowledge led to gaps in the healthcare team’s understanding, while the lack of communication made it difficult for necessary information to be effectively conveyed and received (e.g., medical logistics, human resources, and other operational policies and procedures). This knowledge gap created a barrier to healthcare team resilience as their capacities to surveil, anticipate, and respond were diminished from the lack of knowledge.

“That [information] is pretty fundamental to how you [the healthcare team] function.” (P17, RN PACU) “I don’t think any amount of preparation could have actually prepared us for how bad COVID was—but we were very, very, very unprepared.” (P18, RN COVID ICU) “It was confusing, it was disruptive to the patients that we had there. They sensed that. And that’s— OK—screw with me, screw with my colleagues, but don’t screw with the patient.” (P21, RN ENDO)

All the participants in leadership roles during the COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of having a thorough understanding of the information and effectively communicating it to the frontline healthcare team members most involved in providing patient care.

“There’s nothing worse than having to learn something in the moment and not being prepared for it.” (P1, DIR) “That made us communicate in multiple ways throughout a day because we all know people learn and adapt it could be in print. It could be in person; it could be a video. We tried to have multiple ways of getting messages out and knowing we needed to repeat messages because this was so unknown, and people were so stressed.” (P11, CEO)

One team member (P13, CRNA), highlighted areas where there were gaps in knowledge in greater detail.

“It was as if the unit was being run by all these sort of substitute teachers that were called in at the last minute. Nobody knew where stuff was—nobody knew what the protocol was—the communication was terrible.” (P13, CRNA)

The cumulative effect from the knowledge gaps contributed to the lack of a practical working knowledge for the healthcare team and affected the healthcare team’s ability to anticipate what needed to be done and adapt their performance to accomplish it. Despite knowledge gaps, healthcare team members reported their capability to learn was facilitated by incremental gains in practical knowledge through their experience over time.

“—people got to be experts at protecting patients and keeping themselves safe.” (P8, ER MD) “I think it kind of was like on the job training at that point, I felt like we were all just trying to survive—learning was like—you went out —then you came back, and you would share how things went.” (P15, CRNA) “You tried to educate yourself so you could be safe.” (P17, RN PACU)

The participant responses received from the leadership (CNO, Directors, and Manager) and front-line personnel (administrative staff, nurses, and physicians) regarding the importance of communication highlighted a difference in perspective. Leadership exhibited a strong commitment toward effective communication and made efforts to ensure all healthcare team members were well informed. On the other hand, the frontline participants indicated instances where communication strategies were not perceived as effective.

“I wasn’t contacted by a manager from the unit or anything to be able to reassure, reassure me that things were being followed through and it should be okay, so that was tough.” (P10, RN ENDO) “It really seemed like there was no communication between—like staffing and the floor—we would get up to the floor and they would say, who are you? What are you doing here? What are we supposed to do with you?” (P20, RN OR)

Altruistic behaviors

The theme altruistic behaviors , encompasses the participants’ perception of their obligation and accountability to their patients and healthcare team, and their steadfastness in supporting the healthcare team even if it meant facing personal or professional repercussions. This readiness to aid the healthcare team and accept consequences showcased their altruism and commitment to the healthcare team. The team’s dedication to both their patients and each other was a primary focus driven by a strong sense of responsibility and obligation.

“I want to be able to look myself in the mirror and feel like I did the right thing—.” (P6, DIR) “My resiliency came from my coworkers. I wanted to come back to work to help them.” (P14, RN COVID ICU) “People really looked out for each other—and people were really kind and compassionate to each other—we all were in this together.” (P15, CRNA) “I’m grateful for the experience that I had and all of the different patients that I was able to help in my time there definitely solidified that being a nurse is what I needed to do—and why I chose the profession is exactly what I should have been doing.” (P19, RN ICU) “You just have to go with what seems right—.” (P22, MGR)

A defining characteristic of this theme was a willingness to endure consequences for the benefit of the healthcare team. These consequences varied from contracting the virus, facing criticism from the healthcare team, to foregoing financial incentives, and even job loss.

“I felt like I was punished for speaking up and I was punished for doing the right thing for patients.” (P6, DIR) “I mean, I literally broke the law so many times. Do you know how many times I started pressors [vasoactive drugs to increase blood pressure] on patients that I had no orders for [because a physician would not enter the ICU]?” (P14, CHG RN)

We identified five key themes based on the coded data; namely teamwork in a pressure cooker , healthcare team cohesion , applying past lessons to present challenges , knowledge gaps , and altruistic behaviors . The researchers propose that stressors arising from the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the healthcare team’s resilience. In addition, strong healthcare team cohesion, selfless behaviors among the healthcare team, shared knowledge, and job competence within the healthcare team, enhanced resilient performance.

The healthcare team experienced significant stress and uncertainty, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is consistent with previous research that has shown that the unprecedented nature of the pandemic led to challenging working conditions, limited resources, lack of information, and concerns about infecting loved ones [ 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ]. The collective global impact of COVID-19 on healthcare systems is likely a contributing factor to these stressors [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 ].

Our study, along with those conducted by Anjara et al. (2021)[ 49 ] and Kaye-Kauderer et al. (2022) [ 50 ], found that solidarity and camaraderie among healthcare professionals improve resilience. Specifically, Anjara et al. observed increased collaboration among the healthcare professionals they studied in Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic, while Kaye-Kauderer et al. identified team camaraderie among their sample of front-line healthcare workers from New York. Kinsella et al. (2023) [ 51 ] reported that COVID − 19 offered frontline workers in the UK the opportunity to work together toward a common goal. Potential explanations for these findings align with the concepts of social capital proposed by Coleman [ 52 ] and social identification with other as proposed by Drury [ 54 ]. Coleman suggests an individual’s skills and capabilities are enhanced through their interdependent relationships with others [ 52 ]. Drury found in communities affected by disasters, mutual aid and support emerged from a shared social identity, which serves to strengthen the community [ 53 ]. Brooks et al. (2021) [ 54 ] conducted a study with healthcare, police, and commercial sectors in England. They found it was important for these individuals to receive support from and provide support to their colleagues to mitigate the psychological impact of disaster exposure [ 54 ]. In addition, like our findings, Aufegger and colleague’s 2019 systematic review [ 55 ] found that social support in acute care healthcare teams creates a supportive atmosphere where team members help each other communicate problems, fulfill needs, and deal with stress.

Our results are consistent with those of Liu et al. (2020) [ 32 ] and Banerjee et al. (2021) [ 44 ] who each found that healthcare professionals frequently feel a sense of personal responsibility to overcome challenges. One potential explanation for this may be the influence of collectivism in their cultures. Similarly, our study suggests the sense of camaraderie among healthcare professionals may also contribute to a sense of responsibility and increased altruistic behavior. However, other studies have highlighted different perspectives on healthcare professionals’ sense of responsibility and duty. Godkin and Markwell’s (2003) [ 56 ] revealed that healthcare professionals’ sense of responsibility during the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak was dependent on the protective measures and support offered by the healthcare system where most SARS infected patients were hospitalized. More recently, Gray et al. (2021) reported that nurses’ sense of responsibility stems from their ethical obligations, regardless of potential personal or familial risks [ 57 ].

The altruistic behaviors described by our participants helped maintain the performance of the healthcare team. It is too soon to see the long-term impact from working in this high-pressure environment; however, past research by Liu et al. (2012) [ 58 ] and Wu (2009) [ 59 ] demonstrated that “altruistic-risk acceptance” during the SARS outbreak was shown to decrease depressive symptoms among hospital employees in China.

Our research on resilience has important implications for healthcare organizations and professionals. In order to ready themselves for forthcoming events, healthcare systems must emphasize the significance of shared knowledge and its influence on the healthcare team’s ability to foresee and monitor effectively. This knowledge can help the healthcare organization function as a unified entity, rather than as individuals in separate roles or clusters within the organization to improve healthcare team preparedness. Establishing a cohesive, clinically competent healthcare team benefits the organization and the patients served. Measures to enhance social support, improve communication and ensure clinical competence maintain healthcare team resilience.

There are several limitations to consider when interpreting the results of this study. First, the sample was obtained using purposive snowball sampling, which may have introduced sampling bias and may not accurately represent the larger population of healthcare team members who worked during the COVID-19, as 95% of the sample were white. Second, our study did not have equal representation of all interprofessional team members. It is possible that a more heterogenous sample regarding role, race and gender may have introduced additional codes. Additionally, the PI (JA) worked as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologist (CRNA) in acute care during the pandemic and personal experience may have introduced confirmation bias. Also, the focus of our research was to fill a gap in the existing knowledge of what is known about healthcare team resilience in pandemic disasters, and help to answer if and how it intersects with individual and organizational resilience. It is possible this novel conceptualization of healthcare team as a cohesive singular conscious source of knowledge did not adequately address this.

Steps to ensure rigor and mitigate any potential shortcomings of qualitative data analysis were the maintenance of a reflexive journal, a willingness of the PI to let go of unsupported ideas and constant verification of codes and themes with the research mentor (MN) for coherence and consistency within the coded data, selected methodology and research questions.

Overall, the extracted themes of teamwork in a pressure cooker; healthcare team cohesion; applying past lessons to present challenges; knowledge gaps; and altruistic behaviors illustrate comparable experiences within the healthcare team. As healthcare professionals and organizations continue to navigate the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises, our findings provide valuable insights into how team cohesion, along with altruistic behaviors, may enhance resilience capabilities to create and maintain a unified resilient healthcare team.

Data availability

The data for this study are confidential as required by the IRB approval. To protect the anonymity of the participants, the data are not publicly available. Additional information about the research method, Interview questions, informant data, and the study in general can be requested from the corresponding author, J.A.

Berlin G, Singhal S, Lapointe M, Schulz J. Challenges emerge for the US healthcare system as COVID-19 cases rise. 2020;9.

Stevens JP, O’Donoghue A, Horng S, Tabb K. Healthcare’s earthquake: Lessons from complex adaptive systems to develop Covid-19-responsive measures and models. 2020.

Kopach-Konrad R, Lawley M, Criswell M, Hasan I, Chakraborty S, Pekny J, et al. Applying systems Engineering principles in improving Health Care Delivery. J Gen Intern Med. 2007;22(S3):431–7.

Article   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Compton WD, Fanjiang G, Grossman JH, Reid PP. Institute of Medicine (U.S.), National Academy of Engineering. Building a better delivery system: a new engineering/health care partnership [Internet]. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press; 2005 [cited 2021 Feb 12]. http://public.ebookcentral.proquest.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=3378176 .

Hollnagel E, Woods DD. Resilience Engineering concepts and precepts. 1st ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press/Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group; 2006. p. 416.

Google Scholar  

Wiig S, O’Hara JK. Resilient and responsive healthcare services and systems: challenges and opportunities in a changing world. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021;21(1):1037.

Nemeth C, Wears RL, Patel S, Rosen G, Cook R. Resilience is not control: healthcare, crisis management, and ICT. Cogn Tech Work. 2011;13(3):189–202.

Article   Google Scholar  

Hollnagel E. Safety-II in Practice: Developing the Resilience Potentials [Internet]. 1st ed. Routledge; 2017 [cited 2022 May 7]. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781351780766 .

Braithwaite J, Wears RL, Hollnagel E. Resilient health care: turning patient safety on its head. Int J Qual Health Care. 2015;27(5):418–20.

Article   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Madni AM, Jackson S. Towards a conceptual Framework for Resilience Engineering. IEEE Syst J. 2009;3(2):181–91.

Carthey J. Institutional resilience in healthcare systems. Qual Health Care. 2001;10(1):29–32.

Article   CAS   PubMed   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Hollnagel E. The Four cornerstones of Resilience Engineering. In: Dekker, editor. Resilience engineering perspcetives. E. Hollnagel&S. Ashgate: Farnham, UK; 2009. pp. 117–33.

Fridell M, Edwin S, von Schreeb J, Saulnier DD. Health System Resilience: what are we talking about? A scoping review mapping characteristics and keywords. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2019;9(1):6–16.

Article   PubMed Central   Google Scholar  

Curtin M, Richards HL, Fortune DG. Resilience among health care workers while working during a pandemic: a systematic review and meta synthesis of qualitative studies. Clin Psychol Rev. 2022;95:102173.

Ambrose JW, Layne DM, Catchpole K, Evans H, Nemeth LS. A qualitative protocol to examine Resilience Culture in Healthcare teams during COVID-19. Healthcare. 2021;9(9):1168.

Carayon P, Hundt AS, Karsh B, Gurses AP, Alvarado CJ, Smith M, et al. Work system design for patient safety: the SEIPS model. Qual Saf Health Care. 2006;15(Suppl 1):i50–8.

Thordsen ML, Kyne MM, Klein G, A Model of Advanced Team Decision Making and Performance.: Summary Report: [Internet]. Fort Belvoir, VA: Defense Technical Information Center; 1994 Sep [cited 2021 Feb 13]. http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA400497 .

Zsambok CE. Advanced Team Decision Making: A Model and Training Implications.

Klein GA. Sources of power: how people make decisions. MIT Press; 1988.

Doyle L, McCabe C, Keogh B, Brady A, McCann M. An overview of the qualitative descriptive design within nursing research. J Res Nurs. 2020;25(5):443–55.

Siedlecki SL. Understanding descriptive research designs and methods. Clin Nurse Spec. 2020;34(1):8–12.

Crabtree BF, Miller WL. Doing qualitative research. Second. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage; 1999. p. 406.

Bradley EH, Curry LA, Devers KJ. Qualitative Data Analysis for Health Services Research: developing taxonomy, themes, and theory. Health Serv Res. 2007;42(4):1758–72.

Gale NK, Heath G, Cameron E, Rashid S, Redwood S. Using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2013;13(1):117.

Lincoln Y, Guba E. Naturalistic Inquiry. California: Sage; 1985.

Book   Google Scholar  

Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care. 2007;19(6):349–57.

Saldaña J. The coding manual for qualitative rearchers. Los Angeles, USA: Sage; 2021.

Boyatzis RE. Transforming qualitative information: thematic analysis and code development. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications Ltd; 1998.

Braun V, Clarke V. What can thematic analysis offer health and wellbeing researchers? Int J Qualitative Stud Health Well-being. 2014;9(1):26152.

Braun V, Clarke V. Thematic analysis. In: Cooper H, Camic PM, Long DL, Panter AT, Rindskopf D, Sher KJ, editors. APA handbook of research methods in psychology, Vol 2: Research designs: Quantitative, qualitative, neuropsychological, and biological [Internet]. Washington: American Psychological Association; 2012 [cited 2022 May 15]. pp. 57–71. http://content.apa.org/books/13620-004 .

Braun V, Clarke V. Conceptual and design thinking for thematic analysis. Qualitative Psychol. 2022;9(1):3–26.

Liu Y, Zhai Z, Han Y, Liu Y, Liu F, Hu D. Experiences of front-line nurses combating coronavirus disease‐2019 in China: a qualitative analysis. Public Health Nurs. 2020;37(5):757–63.

Catania G, Zanini M, Hayter M, Timmins F, Dasso N, Ottonello G, et al. Lessons from Italian front-line nurses’ experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic: a qualitative descriptive study. J Nurs Manag. 2021;29(3):404–11.

Croghan IT, Chesak SS, Adusumalli J, Fischer KM, Beck EW, Patel SR et al. Stress, Resilience, and Coping of Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Primary Care and Community Health [Internet]. 2021;12. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85104122303&doi=10.1177%2f21501327211008448&partnerID=40&md5=96ad0164880c9725ce14d534e3c3117

Arnetz JE, Goetz CM, Arnetz BB, Arble E. Nurse reports of stressful situations during the COVID-19 pandemic: qualitative analysis of survey responses. IJERPH. 2020;17(21):8126.

Dagyaran I, Risom SS, Berg SK, Højskov IE, Heiden M, Bernild C, et al. Like soldiers on the front– a qualitative study understanding the frontline healthcare professionals’ experience of treating and caring for patients with COVID-19. BMC Health Serv Res. 2021;21(1):666.

Goh Y, Ow Yong QYJ, Chen TH, Ho SHC, Chee YIC, Chee TT. The impact of COVID-19 on nurses working in a University Health System in Singapore: a qualitative descriptive study. Int J Mental Health Nurs. 2021;30(3):643–52.

LoGiudice JA, Bartos S. Experiences of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study. AACN Adv Crit Care. 2021;32(1):14–26.

O’Brien JM, Bae FA, Kawchuk J, Reimche E, Abramyk CA, Kitts C et al. We were treading water. Experiences of healthcare providers in Canadian ICUs during COVID-19 visitor restrictions: a qualitative descriptive study.

Perraud F, Ecarnot F, Loiseau M, Laurent A, Fournier A, Lheureux F, et al. A qualitative study of reinforcement workers’ perceptions and experiences of working in intensive care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a PsyCOVID-ICU substudy. Sharma GA, editor. PLoS ONE. 2022;17(3):e0264287.

Shanafelt T, Ripp J, Trockel M. Understanding and addressing sources of anxiety among Health Care professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic. JAMA. 2020;323(21):2133.

Article   CAS   PubMed   Google Scholar  

Speroni KG, Seibert DJ, Mallinson RK. Nurses’ perceptions on Ebola Care in the United States, Part 2: a qualitative analysis. JONA: J Nurs Adm. 2015;45(11):544–50.

Sonis J, Pathman DE, Read S, Gaynes BN, Canter C, Curran P, et al. Effects of Healthcare Organization Actions and policies related to COVID-19 on Perceived Organizational Support among U.S. internists: a National Study. J Healthc Manag. 2022;67(3):192–205.

PubMed   Google Scholar  

Banerjee D, Sathyanarayana Rao TS, Kallivayalil RA, Javed A. Psychosocial Framework of Resilience: navigating needs and adversities during the pandemic, a qualitative exploration in the Indian Frontline Physicians. Front Psychol. 2021;12:622132.

Freudenberg LS, Paez D, Giammarile F, Cerci J, Modiselle M, Pascual TNB, et al. Global impact of COVID-19 on Nuclear Medicine departments: an International Survey in April 2020. J Nucl Med. 2020;61(9):1278–83.

Haldane V, Morgan GT. From resilient to transilient health systems: the deep transformation of health systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Policy Plann. 2021;36(1):134–5.

Shrestha N, Shad MY, Ulvi O, Khan MH, Karamehic-Muratovic A, Nguyen USDT, et al. The impact of COVID-19 on globalization. One Health. 2020;11:100180.

Jean WC, Ironside NT, Sack KD, Felbaum DR, Syed HR. The impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgeons and the strategy for triaging non-emergent operations: a global neurosurgery study. Acta Neurochir. 2020;162(6):1229–40.

Anjara S, Fox R, Rogers L, De Brún A, McAuliffe E. Teamworking in Healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-method study. IJERPH. 2021;18(19):10371.

Kaye-Kauderer H, Loo G, Murrough JW, Feingold JH, Feder A, Peccoralo L, et al. Effects of Sleep, Exercise, and Leadership Support on Resilience in Frontline Healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Occup Environ Med. 2022;64(5):416–20.

Kinsella EL, Muldoon OT, Lemon S, Stonebridge N, Hughes S, Sumner RC. In it together? Exploring solidarity with frontline workers in the United Kingdom and Ireland during COVID-19. Br J Social Psychol. 2023;62(1):241–63.

Coleman JS. Social Capital in the creation of Human Capital. Am J Sociol. 1988;94:S95–120.

Drury J, Carter H, Cocking C, Ntontis E, Tekin Guven S, Amlôt R. Facilitating collective psychosocial resilience in the Public in emergencies: twelve recommendations based on the Social Identity Approach. Front Public Health. 2019;7:141.

Brooks SK, Dunn R, Amlôt R, Rubin GJ, Greenberg N. Protecting the psychological wellbeing of staff exposed to disaster or emergency at work: a qualitative study. BMC Psychol. 2019;7(1):78.

Aufegger L, Shariq O, Bicknell C, Ashrafian H, Darzi A. Can shared leadership enhance clinical team management? A systematic review. LHS. 2019;32(2):309–35.

Godkin D, Markwell H. The Duty to Care of Healthcare Professionals: Ethical Issues and Guidelines for Policy Development. Submitted to SARS Expert Panel Secretariat.:23.

Gray K, Dorney P, Hoffman L, Crawford A. Nurses’ pandemic lives: a mixed-methods study of experiences during COVID-19. Appl Nurs Res. 2021;60:151437.

Liu X, Kakade M, Fuller CJ, Fan B, Fang Y, Kong J, et al. Depression after exposure to stressful events: lessons learned from the severe acute respiratory syndrome epidemic. Compr Psychiatr. 2012;53(1):15–23.

Wu P, Fang Y, Guan Z, Fan B, Kong J, Yao Z, et al. The psychological impact of the SARS Epidemic on Hospital employees in China: exposure, risk perception, and Altruistic Acceptance of Risk. Can J Psychiatry. 2009;54(5):302–11.

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors want to thank all the interviewed healthcare team participants for their time and sharing their personal stories and for their continued service during the COVID-19 pandemic. We would also like to acknowledge Ayaba Logan, the Research and Education Informationist, Mohan Madisetti, the MUSC College of Nursing Director of Research, the staff of the MUSC Center for Academic Excellence and the reviewers of this journal for their constructive criticism.

This research (software, transcription services, etc.) was solely funded by the Principal Investigator, J.A.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA

John W. Ambrose, Lynne S. Nemeth, Diana M. Layne & Michelle Nichols

Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA

Ken Catchpole

Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA

Heather L. Evans

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

Conceptualization J.A., K.C., L.N., D.L., H.E., and M.N.; methodology J.A. and M.N.; J.A. led the study, recruited the interviewees, conducted interviews, led the data analysis, and drafted the manuscript. J.A., and M.N. conducted the data analyses; review and editing K.C., H.E., D.L., and M.N.; supervision M.N.; research project administration J.A. and M.N.; funding acquisition J.A. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John W. Ambrose .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

This study presented no greater than minimal risk to participants and met exempt status per regulatory criteria established by 45 CFR 46.104 and 21 CFR 56.104. The study protocol and all materials were approved by the MUSC Institutional Review Board (IRB), [Pro00100917 ]. All study procedures were followed in accordance with these standards.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary Material 1

Rights and permissions.

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Ambrose, J.W., Catchpole, K., Evans, H.L. et al. Healthcare team resilience during COVID-19: a qualitative study. BMC Health Serv Res 24 , 459 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10895-3

Download citation

Received : 25 February 2023

Accepted : 25 March 2024

Published : 12 April 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-10895-3

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

  • Resilience Engineering
  • Healthcare System
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Healthcare Team
  • Thematic Analysis
  • Qualitative Research

BMC Health Services Research

ISSN: 1472-6963

qualitative research topics about engineering

  • About the Hub
  • Announcements
  • Faculty Experts Guide
  • Subscribe to the newsletter

Explore by Topic

  • Arts+Culture
  • Politics+Society
  • Science+Technology
  • Student Life
  • University News
  • Voices+Opinion
  • About Hub at Work
  • Gazette Archive
  • Benefits+Perks
  • Health+Well-Being
  • Current Issue
  • About the Magazine
  • Past Issues
  • Support Johns Hopkins Magazine
  • Subscribe to the Magazine

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

DREAMS Week Spring 2024: Celebration of Undergraduate Research, Scholarly, and Creative Works

Who can attend.

  • General public

Description

Support Johns Hopkins undergraduates by visiting the weeklong DREAMS (Day of Undergraduate Research in Engineering, Arts, Medicine, and the Sciences) online, sponsored by the Hopkins Office for Undergraduate Research (HOUR) . This week, please take a few minutes to explore and support the research, scholarly, and creative endeavors of Johns Hopkins's dedicated and hard-working undergraduates. Visit online, ask questions, leave comments. Your engagement means so much.

DREAMS Week runs April 15 to April 19: Visit all the presentations online at your convenience or drop in to the live (virtual) presentations, every hour on the hour from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Three reasons to visit DREAMS Spring 2024:

  • Access is free, quick, and easy: One-click, super-quick, spam-free registration (required) allows you to view all presentations at any time, leave questions and comments, and attend live (virtual) presentations.
  • Johns Hopkins's students and their mentors need you: Show your support of Johns Hopkins undergraduates by visiting DREAMS and engaging with at least one presenter or project of interest. Your questions and comments are key to students knowing that their work has been seen and appreciated.
  • You will learn something: The range of projects on display are breathtaking in scope and the presentations are designed to be accessible from novice to expert.

Registration

Please register in advance

News Network

  • Johns Hopkins Magazine
  • Get Email Updates
  • Submit an Announcement
  • Submit an Event
  • Privacy Statement
  • Accessibility

Discover JHU

  • About the University
  • Schools & Divisions
  • Academic Programs
  • Plan a Visit
  • my.JohnsHopkins.edu
  • © 2024 Johns Hopkins University . All rights reserved.
  • University Communications
  • 3910 Keswick Rd., Suite N2600, Baltimore, MD
  • X Facebook LinkedIn YouTube Instagram

IMAGES

  1. Engineering Research Paper With Best Topics & Writing Help

    qualitative research topics about engineering

  2. Top 60 Examples of Qualitative Research Topics in 2021

    qualitative research topics about engineering

  3. 100+ Qualitative Research Topics To Write About In 2023

    qualitative research topics about engineering

  4. Qualitative Research: Definition, Types, Methods and Examples (2022)

    qualitative research topics about engineering

  5. Understanding Qualitative Research: An In-Depth Study Guide

    qualitative research topics about engineering

  6. 12 Inspiring Qualitative Research Topics For Study

    qualitative research topics about engineering

VIDEO

  1. Different types of Research Designs|Quantitative|Qualitative|English| part 1|

  2. Research Topics On Environmental Engineering

  3. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Design

  4. Research Design & Approaches to Inquiry by Prof. Rajagopal

  5. What is qualitative research?

  6. Qualitative Research Characteristics

COMMENTS

  1. PDF Qualitative Research Basics: A Guide for Engineering Educators

    She has taught qualitative research methods courses for over twenty years at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and The Ohio State University. She has been involved in several engineering education projects during her career, including the Gateway Coalition and the Rigorous Research in Engineering Education projects, both

  2. 500+ Qualitative Research Titles and Topics

    Qualitative Research Topics. Qualitative Research Topics are as follows: Understanding the lived experiences of first-generation college students. Exploring the impact of social media on self-esteem among adolescents. Investigating the effects of mindfulness meditation on stress reduction. Analyzing the perceptions of employees regarding ...

  3. Qualitative methods for engineering systems: Why we need them and how

    This paper discusses the role that qualitative methods can and should play in engineering systems research and lays out the process of doing good qualitative research. As engineering research increasingly focuses on sociotechnical systems, in which human behavior and organizational context play important roles in system behavior, there is an ...

  4. (PDF) Qualitative Research Methods in Engineering

    Qualitative Research is often about the local rather than the general, and usually involves. human actions and interactions. Such data is notoriously difficult to plan, collect, analyse, code and ...

  5. PDF Qualitative Research Topics for STEM Students

    Here's a list of over 200 qualitative research topics for STEM students: The Ethical Implications of CRISPR Technology in Genetic Engineering. Exploring the Societal Impact of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. User Experience and Human-Centered Design in Software Development.

  6. Using Qualitative Research Methods in Engineering Design Research

    Facilitating this understanding of engineering design requires research methodologies that can capture the nature of the design process from a diversity of aspects, i.e., cognitive, creative, social, organizational, and experiential. While a large majority of research in engineering design has focused on quantitative methodologies, there are ...

  7. Using qualitative research methods in engineering design research

    In this paper we provide an overview of qualitative research methods, outline key opportunities where qualitative methods can be used to enhance engineering design research, and present a case example of a qualitative study on interdisciplinary interactions in complex system design. Keywords: Qualitative research, interdisciplinary interactions ...

  8. PDF Qualitative Research Methods in Engineering

    In qualitative research the context is critical because of the myriad of interactions that occur in different applications and cultures. There is also a myriad of qualitative research methodologies that can be employed, including phenomenology, phenomenography, ethnography, case study research and narrative research.

  9. Qualitative Research Quality: A Collaborative Inquiry Across Multiple

    Introduction. The engineering education research community is embracing a diverse range of qualitative methods of inquiry (Case & Light, 2011; Douglas, Koro-Ljungberg, & Borrego, 2010).With their focus on rich descriptions of lived experiences and perspectives, these approaches are inherently suited to addressing key areas of the expanding research agenda (Johri & Olds, 2014), such as ...

  10. Qualitative research in software engineering

    For this reason, we solicited submissions for this Special Issue on the topic of "Qualitative Research in Software Engineering". This special issue was meant to overcome some of the methodological challenges by providing software engineering researchers with good examples of the state of the art in the application of qualitative research methods to software engineering problems.

  11. Excellent 110+ Engineering Research Topics

    Mechanical Engineering Research Topics. Mechanical engineering deals with the design and manufacture of physical or automated systems. These systems include power and energy systems, engines, compressors, kinematic chains, robotics, etc. Here are some impressive mechanical engineering topics that double as mechanical engineering thesis topics too.

  12. 150+ Best Engineering Research Topics for Students To Consider

    Civil Engineering Research Topics. The use of sustainable materials for construction: design and delivery methods. State-of-the-art practice for recycling in the construction industry. In-depth research on the wastewater treatment process. Building Information Modelling in the construction industry.

  13. Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Research Methods in Engineering

    His research interests in engineering education are in the areas of active learning, critical thinking, and the use of qualitative methods. Engineering Education (0218), Blacksburg, Virginia 24061; telephone: (+1) 540.231.9536; e-mail: [email protected] .

  14. 169+ Exciting Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students

    Engineering Qualitative Research Topics For STEM Students. Ethics in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. Human-Centered Design in Engineering. Innovation and Sustainability in Civil Engineering. Public Perception of Self-Driving Cars. Engineering Solutions for Climate Change Mitigation.

  15. Guidelines for Using a Case Study Approach in Construction Culture

    AbstractThis article seeks to improve the understanding of applying case studies in qualitative research in construction culture. Being a soft and method-complex research strategy, the case study approach is challenging to implement in practice. This ...

  16. Qualitative Methods Used in the Assessment of Engineering Education

    The Journal publishes manuscripts in a wide variety of research areas in the field of engineering education. Abstract This article clarifies key concepts that undergird qualitative research, which is being used increasingly as engineering educators improve classrooms, programs, and institutions.

  17. Research topics

    The main research topics at the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture are: Architecture and infrastructural design Materials science and engineering Modeling and systems design Biomedical engineering Sustainable energy and machinery Electronics and electronic devices ICT and multimedia.

  18. Qualitative Research in Engineering Education

    Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Research Methods in Engineering Education. M. Borrego E. Douglas C. Amelink. Education, Engineering. 2009. The purpose of this research review is to open dialog about quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods in engineering education research.

  19. Comparing Qualitative Analysis Techniques for Construction Engineering

    Over the past three decades, qualitative methods have been increasingly applied in construction engineering and management (CEM) research to understand challenges within this industry. However, there remains a lack of resources in the CEM literature on qualitative method selection and implementation specifically applicable to this domain.

  20. Sensitive, Challenging, and Difficult Topics: Experiences and Practical

    Reflecting in this introspective manner can allow for field researchers to be more aware of the issues they faced when undertaking qualitative research into difficult, challenging, or sensitive topics, more conscious of their praxis, and more reflexive and reactive in future data collection events (Guillemin & Gillam, 2004; Pezalla et al., 2012 ...

  21. What Is Qualitative Research?

    Qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio) to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences. It can be used to gather in-depth insights into a problem or generate new ideas for research. Qualitative research is the opposite of quantitative research, which involves collecting and ...

  22. 100+ Qualitative Research Topics To Write About In 2023

    Here are fantastic examples of qualitative research titles: Female harm: how it is influenced by culture. The socioeconomic impacts of free education. The link between food insecurity and poor performance in schools. Alcoholism among college students: a critical study. How to mitigate child labor in our society.

  23. Healthcare team resilience during COVID-19: a qualitative study

    Background Resilience, in the field of Resilience Engineering, has been identified as the ability to maintain the safety and the performance of healthcare systems and is aligned with the resilience potentials of anticipation, monitoring, adaptation, and learning. In early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged the resilience of US healthcare systems due to the lack of equipment, supply ...

  24. DREAMS Week Spring 2024: Celebration of Undergraduate Research

    Description. Support Johns Hopkins undergraduates by visiting the weeklong DREAMS (Day of Undergraduate Research in Engineering, Arts, Medicine, and the Sciences) online, sponsored by the Hopkins Office for Undergraduate Research (HOUR).This week, please take a few minutes to explore and support the research, scholarly, and creative endeavors of Johns Hopkins's dedicated and hard-working ...

  25. Sustainability

    With the rapidly aging population, Aging in Place (AIP) assumes an increasingly pivotal role, as it aligns with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. Despite the contributions of AIP, there is a dearth of studies investigating the corresponding needs and well-being of older adults from psychological and sociocultural perspectives.