Refining positionality and reflexivity to undertake critical qualitative research in aged care

Background: There is a paucity of information about skill attainment before commencing data collection in critical qualitative studies. Accurately describing the physical environment and human activity is an important skill. Of equal importance is the researcher’s understanding of how the totality of their life experiences influences observation, interpretation, and documentation of events in the field.
Aim: To prepare a Doctor of Philosophy candidate (the Candidate) to conduct fieldwork in preparation for commencing a critical qualitative nursing research study situated in aged care.
Methods: In this paper, the Candidate reports on excursions facilitating the development of skills required for fieldwork. Three excursions to public places were undertaken to observe and document the physical environment. Field notes were reviewed by the supervision team, and feedback was provided at a weekly meeting.
Findings: The excursions highlighted the importance of accurately documenting the visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory aspects of a space. The excursions were also a catalyst for exploring the positionality and reflexivity of the Candidate in relation to emic/etic perspectives and power relations.
Discussion: A typology of personal, interpersonal, methodological, and contextual reflexivity is highlighted as a potential mechanism for acknowledging and integrating the thoughts, values, beliefs, and assumptions of the researcher into the greater context of the study and exploring how these could impact the research process.
Conclusion: The field excursions bolstered the appreciation of critical reflexivity as a research quality assurance process. Enhanced understanding of methodology and refinement of data collection and analysis skills was achieved.