Researching careers of nurse diplomates: Strategies to gain and maintain the commitment of a nationally representative cohort to a longitudinal study

Abstract

This paper focuses on reasons why longitudinal studies can make a useful contribution to the understanding of nurse diplomates' careers. Strategies to negotiate access to students from all four branches and invite them to participate in such a study are discussed, as are strategies to maintain contact and achieve high response rates thereafter. Attention is drawn to the particular difficulties in obtaining a nationally representative sample of adult branch diplomates.