The observer effect in a hospital setting: Experiences from the observed and the observers

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Standard

The observer effect in a hospital setting : Experiences from the observed and the observers. / Svensberg, Karin; Kalleberg, Birgitte Grøstad; Mathiesen, Liv; Andersson, Yvonne; Rognan, Stine Eidhammer; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark.

In: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Vol. 17, No. 12, 2021, p. 2136-2144.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Svensberg, K, Kalleberg, BG, Mathiesen, L, Andersson, Y, Rognan, SE & Sporrong, SK 2021, 'The observer effect in a hospital setting: Experiences from the observed and the observers', Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, vol. 17, no. 12, pp. 2136-2144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.07.011

APA

Svensberg, K., Kalleberg, B. G., Mathiesen, L., Andersson, Y., Rognan, S. E., & Sporrong, S. K. (2021). The observer effect in a hospital setting: Experiences from the observed and the observers. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 17(12), 2136-2144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.07.011

Vancouver

Svensberg K, Kalleberg BG, Mathiesen L, Andersson Y, Rognan SE, Sporrong SK. The observer effect in a hospital setting: Experiences from the observed and the observers. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. 2021;17(12):2136-2144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.07.011

Author

Svensberg, Karin ; Kalleberg, Birgitte Grøstad ; Mathiesen, Liv ; Andersson, Yvonne ; Rognan, Stine Eidhammer ; Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark. / The observer effect in a hospital setting : Experiences from the observed and the observers. In: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy. 2021 ; Vol. 17, No. 12. pp. 2136-2144.

Bibtex

@article{9016c5176d3b4bb38eed6fdfbdc0c6e8,
title = "The observer effect in a hospital setting: Experiences from the observed and the observers",
abstract = "Background: Observation studies are used in health care research, e.g. to explore behaviors of patients or health care professionals in hospitals. A methodological challenge in observation studies is the observer effect, as it can jeopardize the quality of a study. Objectives: To capture different dimensions of the observer effect through health care professionals' and patients' experiences, and their reactions to being observed in a hospital setting, and in addition, observers' experiences from performing an observation study. Method: Four focus group interviews (health care professionals and observers) and 10 individual interviews (patients) were conducted with participants from a Norwegian observation study focusing on medication communication at a hospital ward. In all 26 persons were interviewed, whereof 3 were observers (pharmacist, pharmacy students). Data were collected between September 2019 and January 2020 and analyzed by an inductive, thematic analysis approach. Results: Five main themes were identified; Experiencing being observed; Temporarily adapting medication communication behavior; Consequences for the patients; To interact or not - reflections on the relations and Observing the observers. Respondents reported some observer effects, but also that these diminished with time. Even though minimal interaction was used as a strategy, observers and the observed still built rapport. Conclusions: The observer effect in relation to medication communication seemed to be small and temporary in this specific hospital setting, among other things as staff and patients were used to extra persons (e.g. students) being around. Medication communication in hospital settings is a complex behavior, and appears to not be strongly impacted by the presence of observers, especially with a long observation time. It is important for researchers to monitor and record the observer effect in the specific setting of the study. This can be done by interviews with the observed and the observers by someone not connected to the observation study.",
keywords = "Focus groups, Hospital, Observer effect, Pharmacists",
author = "Karin Svensberg and Kalleberg, {Birgitte Gr{\o}stad} and Liv Mathiesen and Yvonne Andersson and Rognan, {Stine Eidhammer} and Sporrong, {Sofia K{\"a}lvemark}",
note = "Funding Information: The study was partly funded by the Hospital Pharmacies Enterprise , South Eastern Norway. The funding body had no involvement in any parts of the study. Funding Information: The study was partly funded by the Hospital Pharmacies Enterprise, South Eastern Norway. The funding body had no involvement in any parts of the study. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",
year = "2021",
doi = "10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.07.011",
language = "English",
volume = "17",
pages = "2136--2144",
journal = "Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy",
issn = "1551-7411",
publisher = "Elsevier",
number = "12",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - The observer effect in a hospital setting

T2 - Experiences from the observed and the observers

AU - Svensberg, Karin

AU - Kalleberg, Birgitte Grøstad

AU - Mathiesen, Liv

AU - Andersson, Yvonne

AU - Rognan, Stine Eidhammer

AU - Sporrong, Sofia Kälvemark

N1 - Funding Information: The study was partly funded by the Hospital Pharmacies Enterprise , South Eastern Norway. The funding body had no involvement in any parts of the study. Funding Information: The study was partly funded by the Hospital Pharmacies Enterprise, South Eastern Norway. The funding body had no involvement in any parts of the study. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background: Observation studies are used in health care research, e.g. to explore behaviors of patients or health care professionals in hospitals. A methodological challenge in observation studies is the observer effect, as it can jeopardize the quality of a study. Objectives: To capture different dimensions of the observer effect through health care professionals' and patients' experiences, and their reactions to being observed in a hospital setting, and in addition, observers' experiences from performing an observation study. Method: Four focus group interviews (health care professionals and observers) and 10 individual interviews (patients) were conducted with participants from a Norwegian observation study focusing on medication communication at a hospital ward. In all 26 persons were interviewed, whereof 3 were observers (pharmacist, pharmacy students). Data were collected between September 2019 and January 2020 and analyzed by an inductive, thematic analysis approach. Results: Five main themes were identified; Experiencing being observed; Temporarily adapting medication communication behavior; Consequences for the patients; To interact or not - reflections on the relations and Observing the observers. Respondents reported some observer effects, but also that these diminished with time. Even though minimal interaction was used as a strategy, observers and the observed still built rapport. Conclusions: The observer effect in relation to medication communication seemed to be small and temporary in this specific hospital setting, among other things as staff and patients were used to extra persons (e.g. students) being around. Medication communication in hospital settings is a complex behavior, and appears to not be strongly impacted by the presence of observers, especially with a long observation time. It is important for researchers to monitor and record the observer effect in the specific setting of the study. This can be done by interviews with the observed and the observers by someone not connected to the observation study.

AB - Background: Observation studies are used in health care research, e.g. to explore behaviors of patients or health care professionals in hospitals. A methodological challenge in observation studies is the observer effect, as it can jeopardize the quality of a study. Objectives: To capture different dimensions of the observer effect through health care professionals' and patients' experiences, and their reactions to being observed in a hospital setting, and in addition, observers' experiences from performing an observation study. Method: Four focus group interviews (health care professionals and observers) and 10 individual interviews (patients) were conducted with participants from a Norwegian observation study focusing on medication communication at a hospital ward. In all 26 persons were interviewed, whereof 3 were observers (pharmacist, pharmacy students). Data were collected between September 2019 and January 2020 and analyzed by an inductive, thematic analysis approach. Results: Five main themes were identified; Experiencing being observed; Temporarily adapting medication communication behavior; Consequences for the patients; To interact or not - reflections on the relations and Observing the observers. Respondents reported some observer effects, but also that these diminished with time. Even though minimal interaction was used as a strategy, observers and the observed still built rapport. Conclusions: The observer effect in relation to medication communication seemed to be small and temporary in this specific hospital setting, among other things as staff and patients were used to extra persons (e.g. students) being around. Medication communication in hospital settings is a complex behavior, and appears to not be strongly impacted by the presence of observers, especially with a long observation time. It is important for researchers to monitor and record the observer effect in the specific setting of the study. This can be done by interviews with the observed and the observers by someone not connected to the observation study.

KW - Focus groups

KW - Hospital

KW - Observer effect

KW - Pharmacists

U2 - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.07.011

DO - 10.1016/j.sapharm.2021.07.011

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34312101

AN - SCOPUS:85111483006

VL - 17

SP - 2136

EP - 2144

JO - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

JF - Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

SN - 1551-7411

IS - 12

ER -

ID: 282196111