Table 1.

Application of methods

Method	Training	Details of method application	Perceived difficulties	Perceived advantages
Observation	1 days training with a human factors expert	Nursing activities were observed during 1 working day.	• Recording of events whilst observing	• Provides valuable information that would not be available through any other method
Care pathway development	None	Meetings/discussion with staff were held to develop the care pathway. Following the first meeting a first draft of the pathway was developed and discussed with the supported discharge care team at further meetings. The final version was agreed by all staff.	• Requires time commitments from busy health professionals • May require specialist software to create pathway	• Incorporates all relevant health care professionals' views and experiences of the care process
Interviews with staff and patients	5 day qualitative data collection and analysis course	Interviews were undertaken once the care pathway had been finalised. Each interview lasted approx 45 minutes to 1 hour. Analysis of this data accounted for the majority of time spent on data analysis	• Ethics approval probably required • Analysis is time consuming	• Provides richer and more detailed information than questionnaires