Using Participatory Photography to Gain a Deeper Perspective of Oncology Nurses’ Professional Quality of Life

Abstract

Purpose

Enhancing the well-being of the nursing workforce involves understanding how nurses perceive their professional quality of life (PQOL). We conducted a study of oncology nurses’ PQOL using grounded theory methodology and integrated participatory photography, with the intent of obtaining deeper insight using visual data collection. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the use of participatory photography within our grounded theory study as a novel research method.

Findings

Participatory photography provided a method of uncovering the missing “voice” of oncology nurses, a noted research gap, and assisted in addressing the study's questions concerning their PQOL, its related facilitators and barriers, and the actions and processes the nurses used to enhance it. Participating nurses were asked to take photographs that communicated some aspect of their PQOL. Six of the 14 participants submitted a total of 35 images. The photographs served both as an additional data source and a means to facilitate interview data that revealed new thematic categories and allowed for deeper exploration into previously identified themes. Thematic coding related to the photographs included reviewing the photographs jointly, associated captions, and participant reflections prompted by the photographs.

Conclusions

As a data collection method, participatory photography enhanced the richness of data, led to earlier data saturation, and reflected oncology nurses’ experiences and perspectives in a uniquely personal manner. Researchers can use and adapt the procedures outlined in this manuscript to facilitate the integration of participatory photography into future grounded theory or other qualitative research studies.