Exploring using NVivo software to facilitate inductive coding for thematic narrative synthesis

Abstract

Background The author conducted a review on how power and hierarchy affect staff safety in maternity services, using a narrative synthesis of staff voices from relevant literature. The review was coded using NVivo software. This article aims to evaluate NVivo as a tool for thematic narrative synthesis. Methods Selected papers were coded inductively using NVivo software, a subjective idealist approach to knowledge where iteration is achieved at the coding and synthesis stages of the process. Results NVivo proved to be a versatile tool; the imported files could be word or pdf, the import tab made it possible to upload images and audio files and information could be transferred from OneNote, Outlook and bibliographic software such as Endnote and RefWorks. NVivo software provided numerous options to explore data within different tabs. Users could create relationships between files and there were opportunities to display the findings in word clouds, hierarchies and clusters. Conclusions NVivo was a user-friendly tool for a novice user, facilitating coding for thematic narrative synthesis. A discussion of the review findings were explored in a previous article.

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