S.TRUEMAN PhD THESIS 2016

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researcher is an experienced remote nurse and mental health nurse, an important feature of the study was that there existed no discrete moment at which data gathering or analysis commenced. As Stake (1995) pointed out: It begins before there is commitment to do the study: back grounding, acquaintance with other cases, first impressions. A considerable portion of all data is impressionistic, picked up informally as the researcher first becomes acquainted with the case. Many of these early impressions will be later refined or replaced, but the pool of data includes the earliest observations. (p. 49) Accordingly, the researcher’s nine years of experience of working in very remote locations in various clinical and non-clinical (educative, management and executive) roles was extremely relevant and valuable to the case study. The richness of observations, interactions, conversations and incidents concerning mental healthcare conducted prior to the commencement of the study were recursively and critically revisited throughout the study. At the original time of experiencing these events, they were not considered through any methodological lens, paradigm of interpretation or with the intent of being studied. These impressionistic experiences were ‘raw’, disconnected and uncoupled from the study, and hence their imbued value was prized and a valuable resource to the study. The elapsed time between the researcher’s experiences and the study enabled an opportunity for reflection with the aim of developing some clarity about the meaning of these experiences, away from potential emotionalism and providing an opportunity for re-evaluation. 5.3 Case Study Data The word ‘data’ appears in writings as both a plural and singular noun, although a majority of researchers adopt the plural form (Yin, 2011). ‘Data’ as been defined as ‘facts

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