ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR RESEARCH - THE EXAMPLE OF NEEDS ASSESSMENT

This paper explains the early planning stage of a study commissioned b y the English National Board which will investigate the changing educa tional needs of community nurses with regard to needs assessment and q uality of care in the context of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990. Two focus groups, comprising 22 participants altogether, generated dat a which were used to augment and clarify issues explored in an initial literature review Some of the methodological issues are explained. Tr aditional community nursing approaches to needs assessment appeared to value process and integration, while the new legislation emphasizes t he separateness of assessment; there is a danger that it may be seen a s a single event. The consumer views were both supportive and critical about each of the approaches; some important insights were gained, an d a confident basis from which to launch the study identified. The app roach offers one possible way to clarify the starting point of a proje ct when carrying out a standard literature review seems insufficient. This may occur with under-researched or rapidly changing phenomena, or if a field of interest is the subject of multiple interpretations or lack of consensus.