I have been asked to fill in an ethical approval form: No differention is made regarding the type of research. All participants are seen as patients or probands (test persons) and seem to need insurance to take part in the research project.

My project is related to asking medical doctors views regarding quality of care. This will be in the format of a focus group. Seems very innocent to me.

Should they be considered as test persons? Seems a bit over the top to me. Anyone's thoughts?:-)

I do the same kind of research as you. It drives me insane that I have to fill in the same forms as people testing experimental drugs for cancer treatments in order to have a chat with some gps and patients.

Grr!!!!

However, you have to look on the positive side. It's just there to protect (1) the participant. you may see it as innocent but, what if you ask about quality of care and a patients spouse had died because of a lack of quality of care? something seemingly innocent becomes something much much bigger. the form just makes sure you have the support systems in place for these very unusual cases. tip - always include the samaritans number! and (2) it's there to protect you. say the above situation did occur and it sparked/reignited some PTSD or something like that...i would imagine there are legal issues here which can be avoided by following ethical guidelines.

But yes, it is all a bit of a nightmare. Am currently filling in my second application of the month...grr...

Good luck!

Hi A116

thanks for you reply.

You may be right, there is alway a possibility that something could go wrong, although I think it would be very unlikely. I wished these forms would have a certain hierarchy: for experiments the most robust system, for paper exercises just a few ticks in the box.

How is you research going? Getting medical doctors together is like herding cats, in my experience! What's your experience sofar?:-)

They should absolutely have different forms. Craziness! And it can't make it easy for the committees either can it!?!?

My research is OK. I forgot just how crazy it is to recruit people! I am however in the situation where everyone will have been recruited in 3 months timish...Nice to know I won't have to worry about it again!

Getting the Health Professionals is a funny one. I've been in contact with the surgeries I'm using right from day one but actually getting them all to sit down in the same place is hellish! Try tempting them with lunch. I've never met a group of people who like sandwiches so much, even students!

What about you? Have you started any data collection yet?

In stage of organising, very difficult!

Individually they are OK, yet when it comes to a group session, all seem to have other things to do!!

Lunch is indeed a good idea, I make sure there are biscuits, refreshments etc. Other incentive perhaps is CME, which I may be able to offer via the university.

:-)