foumal of Advanced Nursing, 1993, 18, 1795-1805 Good relations: the use of a relational database for large-scale data analysis L G Moseley MA DSA MBCS Senior Ledwer in Computer Saence, Umversity of Wales, Swansea and D M Mead MSc PhD RGN Assistant Dtredor, Mid and West Wales College of Nursmg and Midwtfery, Untverstty of Wales, Swamea, Wales Accepted for publication 23 February 1993 MOSELEY L G & MEAD D M (1993) Journal of Advanced Nursing 18, 1795-1805 Good relations: the use of a relational database for large-scale data analysis This paper reports our expenence of analysing what may well be one of the largest datasets gathered on nursing practice in the Umted Kmgdom The study produced both quantitative and quahtative data and a method had to be devised both for analysing each form of data and for relating the two An inexpensive relational database was chosen for the purpose, and expenence of usmg it IS reported Detailed examples are given We look at the strengths and weaknesses of such a tool, and m general it received a positive evaluation For many nursmg research projects, it offers some advantages over a conventional statistical package, espeaally m the followmg areas offenng ease of use, and hence control of the data, by the domam (nursmg) speaalist, faalitahng the analysis of free-text data, allowmg the hnkmg of free-text and structured questionnaire data, permittmg the testmg of conjectures which anse dunng analysis, handlmg varymg amounts of data per case, providmg non-redundant storage of data, pemruttmg the assoaation of machme-readable codes and human-readable labels, and encouragmg an exploratory rather than merely analytical approach INTRODUCTION followed by the development of a magnitude raho This paper reports on the method of analysis of possibly f, f ^ the largest amount of data which has been gathered ^^^ "^^Sree to which a ward had adopted the character- _, .viT.Ji^ J lstics assoaated with the concept or prunarv nursmg concemmg nursmg prachce in the Umted Kmgdom .11 i , , "uiauig _, . J . ,, J „ , .u A high score meant that the ward was dose to the The study, enhtled Tnnovahons m nursmg care the , , 11 . r tA7 1 ' u J L ideal type (m the Webenan sense) of pnmarv nursmg, development of pnmary nursmg m Wales, had been , , *L, ' inuamg, J L Li. TAT I u /-vflL J £. J J u a low score meant that it was not The MRS also commissioned by the Welsh Office, and was funded by j r , , ^ the Deparhnent of Health It mvolved a three-round ^^^^^ °"^ *° • **^"* ^ ^ ^ ^ °f 16 dimensions of Delphi shidy, and a smgle-blmd test of the results, P™^^;; " " " " ^ were present on each partiapatmg ward. These stages were only a prelimmary to a survey Correspondence Donna Mead, Assistant Director, Research and Deoelopment Mii c -ji ,^,,J. ,„ KT,4.,«,,,I u-,l4.U c«^r.-« 1 ^^ i.~l,, „ <J^^o,%.ofM»5,,gWM«fan/«y,Ump«srfyCoilww««, °^ ^ '^^'^ ' " National Health Service hospitals in Pmk, Semsea SA2 8PP, Wales Wales 1795