Assessment 1
Please find below the instructions, a template you have the choice of using and the mark distribution.
Read the two case scenarios, select one and answer the questions below. The purpose is to test your understanding of the principles and philosophy underlying qualitative research and your ability to apply different qualitative methodologies to answer different research questions you develop.
You are required to write three research questions that best illustrate use of different qualitative methodologies.
Allow about 400 words for each research question and associated answers (excluding citations and references). This is approximately three quarters page of text. Please include sufficient information to demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of different qualitative methodologies.
Other points to note:
• Please write in full sentences (not bullet points)
• Include in-text citations to support all factual statements
• Include a correctly formatted reference list with your answer
• The word limit of 1200 words does not include your citations and reference list
Instructions:
Read the case study and consider possible research areas of investigation.
For each research question:
• State an appropriate qualitative methodology and write a brief description of this research methodology.
• Include references to who is/are the key author/s of this research methodology.
• State why this research methodology is appropriate to answer the research question.
• State limitations or considerations when using this research methodology.
• State the types of data that would be collected to answer the research question.
This is an open book assessment which means you will be able to refer to any resource when answering the questions.
Please do not copy and paste text from any source without paraphrasing or referencing as this constitutes plagiarism and will be reported.
Referencing for this assignment must be in compliance with the School of Public Health preferred APA 7th edition. When including in-text citations in your answers, please also include a reference list in the answer box.
The overall word count should be 1200 words, each of your three research questions and the associated answers will be approximately 400 words each.
You must submit this assessment through the Turnitin assessment tab on Blackboard.
Read the reflection below then answer the questions. Please use the template provided.

Case Reflection 1
Reflections on COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to some fairly radical changes in my life. Last month I had to self-isolate for two weeks after returning from a trip to Oxford, and, like most people, I’m now working from home. I work for a research institute at the University and we’ve had to completely readjust our 2020 calendar. As part of my work, I organise regular seminars on ethics in social and professional life. Most of our upcoming events, however, have been postponed or cancelled. I’m slowly adjusting to several hours a day of teleconferences, and getting used to instant coffee rather than heading to my favourite cafes. I’m an ethicist with a background in moral philosophy. And many of the great philosophers wrote their best work while on retreat in the countryside or in front of the fireplace at home. Who knows, maybe the next few months may be more productive than I’m anticipating.
Ethics is always relevant to life, even when it’s business as usual. But ethical reflection is particularly important during a crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. One issue that I have written about recently is the ethics of healthcare resource allocation during a pandemic.
ICU physicians in countries like Italy, France, the UK and the US are being forced to ration precious resources like ventilators as their wards are overwhelmed by critically ill coronavirus patients. These rationing decisions raise a number of complex ethical questions. For example: Is it permissible to ration health care on the basis of age? How can we obtain maximal benefit from healthcare resources while not discriminating against people with disabilities? And should people with important social and political roles (such as healthcare workers and politicians) receive priority access to scarce resources? Rather than having to face these agonising ethical questions, Australian authorities have sought to “flatten the curve” through aggressive social distancing measures. Current modelling suggests that this strategy is working.
Australia’s response to the pandemic reflects a sense of solidarity with society’s most vulnerable. State and Federal Governments have made minimising loss of life their primary priority. I think this is a laudable approach, and one that gives due importance to the value of each human life.
It’s also important to note that the risk of burnout for clinicians is heightened in a time of crisis, and so healthcare professionals must be given adequate time off during the coming months. Patients are put at risk when they are being treated by a clinician who is on the verge of a breakdown. In this sense, burnout and fatigue become ethical issues.
New guidance for the COVID-19 pandemic was recently published by the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society and the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, leave scope for individual ED and ICU departments to decide how they will assess and triage patients. Fortunately, new government modelling suggests that we may not face the surge in hospital admissions that was originally expected. Like many ethicists, I think we need to take a balanced approach to resource allocation.
Several commentators have published articles recently arguing for implementation of a herd immunity strategy for managing the coronavirus. Herd immunity is a term usually used in the context of child vaccination for diseases like measles. When a sufficient number of children have been vaccinated for a disease, this provides a degree of protection for those persons who are unable to be vaccinated. In the context of the coronavirus, some people have argued that governments should ease social distancing measures and allow the virus to spread in the community, while ensuring that those who are most vulnerable (such as older people and people with disabilities) remain isolated. Epidemiologists estimate that approximately 60% of the Australian population would need to contract the virus before we achieve herd immunity. This would include massive rates of hospitalisation and also a very high death rate. Despite the economic benefits that may come with easing the social distancing measures, and I’m not sure this is a wise approach all things considered.
Paraphrased from
Reference: Symons, X (2020). Healthcare ethics during a pandemic. https://www.fulbright.org.au/news-and-events/2020/04/healthcare-ethics-during-a-pandemic/NDE
Case scenario 2
Mrs Morgan is a 55-year-old Aboriginal woman who has been admitted to a tertiary hospital in Perth for management of chronic pain that is the result of a long history of leg ulcers. Mrs Morgan lives in a remote community in the far north of Western Australia. Prior to hospitalization, Mrs Morgan had been treated by the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which had a scheduled monthly service to her community.
On admission Mrs Morgan reported the difficulties of daily living with chronic pain. She spoke of many members of her community who have similar problems, especially chronic pain as a consequence of long-term illness. She also reported that there is little assistance provided by her local community or by the government in attempting to stem the increase in the number of individuals who are developing long-term illness.
When questioned about her ability to self-manage her illness and her chronic pain, Mrs Morgan reported that women have no authority in their community to make changes or even to suggest to elders what changes would be appropriate in order to improve the health of the community. She states further that she would like to be involved in making a change in the way things are done to enhance both individuals and the community's quality of life.
The health care team caring for Mrs Morgan reflected on what she had told them. It was realised that the team has no understanding of how this community is organised, including how members relate to each other, what are the important values of the group and what processes are involved in making the community work together on a daily basis. The impact of these issues on the health of the community is not understood.
The health care team also realised that they did not know or understand Mrs Morgan's and others' experience of pain, life in a remote Aboriginal community, the place of women in this society, how the social fabric of the community works or what it means to be a healthcare practitioner to this group of people
This case scenario was adapted from: Jirojwong, S., Johnson, M. & Welch, A. (Eds), 2011. Research methods in nursing and midwifery. Pathways to evidence-based practice. Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Answer template
Write your first Research Question here.
Ensure it is written as a research question, not a statement. The following questions will relate to this proposed research question. (2 marks)
For research question 1:
1) State an appropriate qualitative methodology, why this methodology is appropriate and write a brief description of this research methodology. Include references to who is/are the key author/s of this research methodology (3 marks)
2) State limitations or considerations when using this research methodology (2 marks).
3) State data collection methods/sources of data that could be used to answer the research question
(1 mark).
Write your second Research Question here.
Ensure it is written as a research question, not a statement. The following questions will relate to this proposed research question (2 marks).
For research question 2:
1) State an appropriate qualitative methodology, why is this methodology appropriate and write a brief description of this research methodology. Include references to who is/are the key author/s of this research methodology (3 marks)
2) State limitations or considerations when using this research methodology (2 marks).
3) State data collection methods/sources of data that could be used to answer the research question
(1 mark).
Write your third research question here. Ensure it is written as a research question, not a statement. The following questions will relate to this proposed research question (2 marks).
For research question 3:
1) State an appropriate qualitative methodology, why is this methodology appropriate and write a brief description of this research methodology. Include references to who is/are the key author/s of this research methodology (3 marks)
2) State limitations or considerations when using this research methodology (2 marks).
3) State data collection methods/sources of data that could be used to answer the research question (1 mark).
Overall presentation:
Formatting: Title page, table of contents, page numbers and headings all included and neatly formatted. Only one Word document for the entire assessment is submitted. (1 mark)