How to code gerunds in constructivist grounded theory research: an example.

Why you should read this article: • To understand that preserving action or process when coding gerunds in constructivist grounded theory research can help discover the participants’ main concerns, which provide context for the substantive theory • To appreciate that looking for and recognising gerunds in qualitative data can be confusing for novice researchers • To benefit from an example of coding gerunds to gain deeper insights and depth to qualitative data analysis. Background: Coding for gerunds is useful in developing theory in grounded theory. However, it can be confusing for the novice researcher to recognise these words, which consider actions more abstractly. Aim: To explain how to identify, analyse and code gerunds, using the example of a constructivist grounded theory study investigating the design of operating rooms. Discussion: Coding for gerunds helped to illustrate participants’ actions and sequences in the example study and added depth to the researcher’s understanding of certain topics. Conclusion: Coding gerunds can improve the insights obtained in grounded theory studies. Implications for practice: This article may encourage nurse researchers to focus on actions to add depth to their qualitative analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]