Developing patient education to enhance recovery after colorectal surgery through action research: a qualitative study.

Objectives: To understand the role of preoperative education for patients undergoing colorectal surgery by involving patients, carers and staff in: (1) identifying its perceived value and deficits for enhanced recovery; (2) modifying current education practices to address educational deficits; and (3) evaluating these changes for preparing patients to enhance their recovery.

Design: Qualitative study of three cycles of action research using mixed methods within a 24-month naturalistic enquiry to identify, implement and evaluate changes through observations, questionnaires, semistructured longitudinal interviews, focus groups and documentation review.

Setting: A UK 1200-bed National Health Service (NHS) hospital providing colorectal surgery in a small city in a rural county.

An exploration of intent for narrative methods of inquiry.

This article discusses the purpose, process and usefulness of narrative-based research. Drawing on elements of naturalistic and constructivist approaches, the authors explore the processes and consequences of engaging in narrative-based inquiry. They propose a reconsideration of the intention, purpose and usefulness of gathering and using narratives, and suggest that narratives can provide healthcare practitioners with the opportunity to engage in inclusive research that can have a transformational effect on all research informants, including the researchers.