A comparison of survey methods in studies of the nurse workforce.

AIM: To compare and contrast postal and internet surveys in studies of nurse workforces. BACKGROUND: There is little research that examines the advantages and disadvantages of different surveys in studies of nurse workforces. DATA SOURCES: Previous studies that used different approaches to disseminate surveys. DISCUSSION: There are advantages and disadvantages to using postal or internet surveys for nurse workforce studies. CONCLUSION: Factors researchers may wish to consider in selecting survey methods include research topic, costs, coverage, timing and the characteristics of potential respondents. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH/PRACTICE: Response rate, data quality and adequate coverage of the population being studied can be optimised if the researcher selects an appropriate survey method.