1. the use of the Delphi technique in an MSc project tim lewis

2. structure background methods results discussion conclusion

3. background MSc critical care research topic - personal interest quantitative vs qualitative? (when in Rome?) initial proposal back to the drawing board

4. constraints time! resources personnel? funds? media? subjects? ethical approval?

5. which methods? observational? questionnaire survey? semi structured interview study? focus groups? Delphi???

6. ??? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Delphi_Composite.jpg

7. Delphi technique origin and uses process overview mixed method panel of experts/stakeholders pooling of knowledge consensus vs breadth of opinion? anonymity

8. the journey begins … proposal panel structure/cues timescale validity reliability pilot

9. results - recruitment & retention 3 parents, 3 nurses and 6 medics agreed to participate 2 parents, 1 nurse and 6 medics participated in round 1 1 parent and 5 medics participated in round 2 1 parent and 4 medics participated in final round medics from all 3 hospitals participated in all rounds

10. results – thematic analysis 34 themes identified from responses grouped into 17 categories including: needs of parents follow up care relationships with PICU clinical management distress caused by treatments deskilling of staff

11. discussion - problems… recruitment & retention numbers disciplines participant observer (+/-) agendas (+/-)

12. discussion - positives ease of use? nvivo value of findings? disinhibiting? cathartic? validity of findings? educational value?

13. summary and conclusions the Delphi technique is a valuable approach to gathering qualitative data and also facilitating discussion among stakeholders combines elements of questionnaire surveys and focus groups need not be resource intensive is suitable for novice researchers

14. thank you

15. references & bibliography Boehncke, W.H., Brasie, R.A., Barker, J. et al. 2006. Recommendations for the use of etanercept in psoriasis: a European dermatology expert group consensus. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology & Venereology. 20(8):988-98. Bowling, A. 2002. Research methods in health: investigating health and health services. Maidenhead: Open University Press. Greenhalgh, T. 2001. How to read a paper. London: BMJ Publishing Group Haines, C. 2005. Parents; experiences of living through their childs suffering from and surviving severe meningococcal disease. Nursing in Critical Care; 10(2): 78-89. Jeffery, D., Ley, A., Bennun, I. and McLaren, S. 2000. Delphi survey of opinion on interventions, service principles and service organisation for severe mental illness and substance misuse problems. Journal of Mental Health; 9(4):371-384. Last, L. and Fulbrook, P. (2003) Why do student nurses leave? Suggestions from a Delphi study. Nurse Education Today; 23:449-458 McGory, M.L. Shekelle, P.G. and Ko, C.Y. 2006. Development of quality indicators for patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 98(22):1623-33. Parahoo, K. 1997. Nursing research: principles, process and issues. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Pekkala E., Saranto K., Tallberg M. et al 2006. A controlled nursing vocabulary for indexing and information retrieval. Studies in Health Technology & Informatics; 122:981. Rukanuddin, R J. 2006. Development of standardized Midwifery Nursing-Reproductive Health Data Set (MN-RHDs) for Pakistan. Studies in Health Technology & Informatics. 122:461-4..