How to quantify the qualitative aspects of nursing outcomes classification scales with psychosociocultural indicators

Abstract

Working necessarily with Likert scales to measure Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) outcomes has the advantage of unification, but also presents difficulty in reducing the rating from 1 to 5, especially when the research is qualitative and thus includes the use of words and expressions, as well as observations and perceptions. What exactly does a score of 2 or 3 mean with regard to the NOC Health beliefs? In this paper, we make a number of different proposals for operationalizing concepts and transforming them to numbers; however, it should be noted that such proposals always end in a quantitative analysis. Thus, we propose the use of emic/etic qualitative observations for psychosocial and cultural indicators, following ethnographic principles. Basic and applied research on nursing languages must have correct methodological foundations and seek to satisfy the same criteria of methodological suitability as any other research.