4 Online Focus Group Guide Nursing Prospective Applicants

DRAFT – For Internal Use Only

HRSA

Online Moderator’s Guide

Program Prospects

Overview

Like traditional information gathering sessions, online sessions run approximately 90 minutes and include a mix of question types to ensure an engaged session. Generally, a moderator will spend the following amount of time garnering feedback on each type of question: closed-end questions – 1 minute; open-end questions – 3 minutes; grid questions – 1-3 minutes; discussion room – 5-30 minutes. These time estimates are merely a guide and depending on the actual length of the group, all of the questions outlined in the guide may not be used.

The moderator will begin with a ‘Welcome/Directions’ section and then a couple warm-up questions that cover general information related to the aim of the information gathering session.

The following provides distinctions for types of questions and terminology used in the online information gathering platform and detailed throughout this document:

• Media: Static informational text or image that is not part of a question.

• Open-end, Closed-end, Grid, Matrix questions: Individual responses, seen only by the moderator/client – not other participants.
  
  

• The Discussion Room chat questions: Are more akin to a typical information gathering conversation, with the responses viewed by all participants.

MODERATOR’S GUIDE

1. Introduction
   
   

[MEDIA] Welcome

Welcome to this group session. Today we will be discussing trends in the nursing field and specific programs.

First, a few words about what will happen during this session. You are currently connected online to me (the Moderator) and about a dozen other participants. Over the next 90 minutes, you will respond to the questions you see appear on the right-side of your browser window. Please answer these questions openly and honestly. Your answers to these questions are anonymous and will not be seen by other participants.

Occasionally, you may find yourself waiting briefly as others finish their answer. Please be patient for the next question should you finish answering before others - the next question will always appear shortly.

At any time during the session, the Moderator may begin an instant messaging chat discussion. You should respond to the Moderator's questions as the discussion proceeds. Note that for these chats, you WILL also be able to see other participants' comments and respond to them. Please be courteous and polite.

All information disclosed during the information-gathering project will be kept private and confidential and none of the information discussed during the open chats will be shared with any other individual or organization outside of the purpose of this project.

We greatly appreciate your participation and you will receive a $100 honorarium for taking the time to contribute your opinions tonight. However, you must answer all of the questions throughout the session until the Moderator finishes the session, or you will not receive your honorarium.

Setting the Stage – Perspectives on field of nursing

2. [CLOSED-END] Do you believe there are enough qualified nurses today to address healthcare needs in America?

1. Yes

2. No

3. Not sure

3. [OPEN-END] What made you choose the nursing field? What specifically motivated you to go into this field of study/ career?

[MEDIA] Ok, I'm going to open a chat discussion so that we can talk as a group and respond to each other's comments. The chat discussion window will appear on the right side of your screen.

You should pay careful attention to the Moderator's questions that will appear in red text. You will enter your own comments in the box at the bottom of the screen and add them to the discussion by clicking the Send button.

4. [DISCUSSION ROOM] What do like best about the nursing field? What drives your interest or engagement in this field?

• What, if anything, do you dislike about the nursing field? What concerns or worries you about this field?

• What, if anything, do you know now that you wished you would have known when you were first starting out or considering the nursing field?

• How would you describe the future of the nursing field? What do you believe will impact the nursing field in the next five years?

5. [CLOSED-END] How would you describe the cost of your nursing education today compared to other professionals, like Physician’s Assistants (PAs) or dental hygienists?

1. Very expensive

2. Somewhat expensive

3. In the middle

4. Somewhat inexpensive

5. Very inexpensive

6. I don’t know; I don’t remember

6. [CLOSED-END] In which of the following ways are you or have you paid for your nursing education? (Select all that apply)

1. Student loans

2. Personal loans (loans secured through a financial institution based on your salary or credit, or a secured loan such as a home equity line of credit)

3. Loans from your parents

4. Scholarship/grant

5. Personal savings

6. Working

7. Other

7. [CLOSED-END] How prepared do you believe you are to pay back your nursing education debt (including student loans)?

1. Extremely prepared

2. Very prepared

3. Somewhat prepared

4. Not very prepared

5. Not at all prepared

6. Not applicable – I don’t have any nursing education debt or student loans

8. [OPEN-END – IF 7A-C/D-E] What makes you feel [prepared/unprepared]?

9. [DISCUSSION ROOM] How would you describe the cost of nursing education today? What makes you feel that way? How does it compare to other professionals, like Physician’s Assistants (PAs) or dental hygienists?

• What do you expect it to be like to pay back any educational loans you have? How do you believe you will manage that?

• Have you considered alternative ways to get help in paying back your student loans? Like what?

Awareness/Knowledge of the Nursing Scholarship Program/Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program

10. [DISCUSSION ROOM] Are you aware of any programs intended to help nurses pay back their student loans?

• What are they? What do you know about them?

• Have you ever heard of the Nursing Scholarship Program/Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program? What do you know about them? What do they do?

• [probe as needed] What have you heard of? What do these programs do? What are the benefits of these programs? What concerns, if any, do you have about these programs?

• Do you know anyone who has gone through or is in the program? How did they describe the program to you?

11. [MEDIA] I’d like to have you read another description about the Nursing Scholarship Program/Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program. After you read the description, please answer the questions that follow.

[SHOW DESCRIPTION – Nursing students/NSP prospect descripTion – nurses/nurse faculty/nelrp prospects description]

12. [CLOSED-END] How beneficial do you believe this program is for people like yourself?

1. Extremely beneficial

2. Very beneficial

3. Somewhat beneficial

4. Not very beneficial

5. Not at all beneficial

13. [DISCUSSION ROOM] What are your first impressions of this program? What about it stands out to you?

• Have you heard about this program before? Is this what you recall about it?

• What about this program is interesting to you?

• Are there specific elements of this program you find appealing? Which and why?

• Are there any aspects that are concerning to you? Which and why?

• What about the program would you like to have more information about?

Concept Evaluation

14. [MEDIA] The governmental agency running this program is in the process of developing some materials to let people know and learn about it. These materials are in the very early phases of development. Your feedback will help guide the development of these materials to help inform current and future nurses about this program. Please review and then answer the questions that follow.

[SHOW MESSAGES]

15. [GRID] To what extent do you believe the messages you just read about this program are…? [scale: extremely, Very, Somewhat, Not Very, not at all]

1. Appealing

2. Credible

3. Interesting

4. Relevant to you personally

16. [DISCUSSION ROOM] Thinking about what you just read, what do you believe are the key messages they were trying to communicate? What are they telling you?

• What specifically do you find appealing or interesting about these messages?

• What about these messages are relevant to you personally? Why is that the case?

• How well does the idea of “lifelong career” come though? In what way? What about “competitive”?

• Are there any aspects of these messages that are confusing or concerning to you? Which and why?

• What about these messages do you need more information about? Why?

17. [CLOSED-END] Based on what you read, how likely are you to take some action to learn more about this program?

1. Extremely likely

2. Very likely

3. Somewhat likely

4. Not very likely

5. Not at all likely

18. [OPEN-END] What makes you [likely/not likely] to take action following what you read?

Main Elements

19. [MEDIA] I am going to show you the different elements of this program and ask for specific feedback. The [first/next] element is:

[SHOW SPECIFIC ELEMENT and repeat questioning for each]

20. [DISCUSSION ROOM] What specifically are they trying to communicate here? What does this mean to you specifically?

• How important is this to you personally? Why?

• What would expect from this program?

• Is there anything confusing or questionable? Why?

• Is there anything particularly appealing? Why?

Names and Logos

21. [DISCUSSION ROOM] The governmental agency that runs this overall program also needs to develop a name for it, which represents the two programs within it. Based on what you’ve read today, what do you think it should be called? What specific words or phrases come to mind?

• What visually comes to mind when you think of this program?

• What imagery would you associate with it?

Names

22. [MEDIA] I am now going to show you a few names being considered for this program. Please review these names and then answer the questions that follow.

[SHOW names in randomized order]

23. [GRID] Please rate the names on which you believe is most… [NAMES ACROSS TOP]

1. Appealing

2. Credible

3. Interesting

4. Relevant to you personally

24. [CLOSED-END] Of the names you reviewed, which do you believe fits best with the program as it was just described?

1. Name 1

2. Name 2

3. Name 3

4. Name 4

5. Name 5

6. Name 6

25. [DISCUSSION ROOM] A number of you believe [insert top picked name] fits best with the program. What about this name fits best? What about it is appealing? What makes it seem credible?

• For those who did not select this as one of your top picks, what makes this name not fit or makes it less appealing?

• What would make this name more appealing?

• The next top picked name is [insert second top picked name].

• What about this name do you like best? What about it is appealing? Credible? Interesting?

• For those who did not select this as one of your top picks, what makes this name not fit or makes it less appealing?

• What would make this name more appealing?

Logos

26. [MEDIA] Now, I’d like to share with you some designs or logos that are being considered for this program. Regardless of what they call the program, I’d like to know how you feel about these ideas for portraying the program on their materials, on their website, in any ads they might run in nursing magazines or anywhere else. Please review the logos and then answer the questions that follow.

[SHOW LOGOS in randomized order]

27. [GRID] Please rate the logos on which you believe is most… [LOGOS ACROSS TOP]

1. Appealing

2. Credible

3. Interesting

4. Relevant to you personally

28. [CLOSED-END] Of the logos you just reviewed, which do you like best?

1. Logo 1

2. Logo 2

3. Logo 3

29. [DISCUSSION ROOM] A number of you like [insert top picked LOGO] best. What makes you like it best?

• What does this logo make you think of? What does it represent to you?

• What about this logo is most appealing? What about it is interesting?

• What, if anything, makes this logo less appealing?

• What would make this logo more appealing or clearer?

• The next top picked logo is [insert second top picked LOGO].

• Why did you pick it? What about it is appealing? Interesting?

• What, if anything, makes this logo less appealing?

• What would make this logo more appealing or clearer?

Close

30. [DISCUSSION ROOM] What do you believe would be the best ways for nurses or nursing students, like yourself, to learn about this program?

• How would you describe this program to others in the nursing field?

• Thank you for sharing your opinions and feedback on the materials and information we have shared with you today. We will be using your input to help further inform and develop these materials for future use. This has been extremely helpful to us.

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