The Application of Grounded Theory: An Example from Nursing Workforce Research

The application of grounded theory was the conduit to theory development in this study. The intent was to explore nurse manager, educator, preceptor, and new graduates’ perceptions of workplace readiness for new graduates entering an Intensive Care Unit. Research participants were drawn from five different ICUs: Medical, Coronary Care, Surgical, Neuroscience, and Trauma. One-on-one interviews were conducted to collect participants’ perspectives on readiness to practice in the ICU. Using grounded theory, four themes emerged giving rise to the novice nurse embracing the ICU theory (NNEIT). Reflections on the type of grounded theory used, reasons for the selection, challenges faced in the theoretical development process, modifications for future grounded theory studies, and recommendations on how to further future grounded theory studies are discussed. Information useful for new grounded theory researchers and strategies for first-time researchers to overcome the challenges of conducting grounded theory studies are presented.