If you know me, you know that ‘awesome’ is a word I rarely use.

It’s trite and usually undeserved. But, when you’re talking about nurses, it’s the word to use. Nurses are fantastic. They work so hard and care so much. And they do it under very challenging conditions. Burnout rates among nurses are high, and there’s a longstanding global nurse shortage, creating extremely difficult circumstances at the point of care.

Evolutionary psychology tells us that our high regard of nurses is hardwired into us—we naturally revere those who provide care and nurturance. But there’s more to it than just that. Nurses are skilled, knowledgeable professionals.

I’ve been doing a lot of healthcare research over the past few years, and have interviewed many nurses. Of all the types of people I talk to as a researcher, they may be my favorite. They’re also underutilized as research participants. However, if you’re going to get the most out of qualitative research among nurses, there are few things to keep in mind.

Before we get into that, allow me to do a bit more gushing about nurses.

They’re knowledgeable. Nurses regularly impress me with their command of their therapeutic areas. Whether it’s understanding the side effects of dozens of medications, or knowing the ins-and-outs of all the equipment and devices needed for patient care, nurses are walking encyclopedias. Those not directly involved in patient care often don’t realize this, and thus don’t understand the value of including nurses in healthcare research.

They’re pragmatic. Nurses are among the most practical people you’ll ever meet, and are problem solvers by nature. They like to keep things simple, not looking to overcomplicate things. They don’t go for increased capability if there’s no clear benefit. This pragmatism is a major strength, but it does have implications for qualitative research. More about this below.

They’re great explainers. Nurses often have primary responsibility for patient education, so they know how to explain therapies and conditions to patients (in a way that’s understandable and not scary) better than just about anybody.

They focus on the patient. While other HCPs focus on procedures, treatments, devices and processes in addition to the patient, nurses focus primarily on patients and their welfare.

They’re gutsy.  I’ve interviewed military nurses who’ve been deployed to very dangerous places, to nurses who’ve cared for Ebola and Covid patients, and to nurses who work in trauma centers in areas with high rates of violent crime. And they do it, because that’s what they do and because it must be done.

Okay. So, let’s get into what you need to know when conducting qualitative among nurses.

If you’re looking to understand patient experiences and attitudes, don’t just talk to patients. Nurses, because they work with so many patients, and because they’re so focused on patient care, sometimes can tell you things about patients’ feelings or experiences that the patients themselves can’t. They can also provide insights into the decision-making processes of patients and their families.

Remember how I pointed out how great nurses are at explaining things? This makes them a tremendous asset for marketers and researchers. If you’re testing any sort of communication materials (package inserts, brochures, websites, advertising, etc.), nurses can be your secret weapon. They know more about how to make things understandable and accessible to patients and HCPs than anybody else.

Remember that pragmatism I mentioned earlier? That’s something to keep in mind when designing research. Nurses focus on the reality of a situation, and don’t spend a lot of time thinking about why things are the way they are or how they could be better. It’s just not in their nature. So, if you’re looking to get insight about the future or the hypothetical, nurses may not be your best bet.

Similarly, nurses are not great at telling you what’s suboptimal about a situation, because they’re such strong problem solvers. Nurses will make the best of whatever circumstances they face—they’ll bend over backwards to find a way to make things work. So, instead of discussing what’s wrong with a specific situation or how it could be improved, focus discussion on the workarounds and hacks they’ve devised. And a related point—most nurses REALLY appreciate it if you get right to the point in market research interactions.

Unlike most research participants (including doctors), nurses rarely flake on you, and they’re almost always on time. So be careful not to overly over-recruit.

So, next time you’re designing an upcoming healthcare or life sciences study, consider including nurses in your research. You’ll be glad you did.

My thanks to my colleagues Caroline Volpe and Colleen Welsh-Allen for their input to this post.