Visualising nursing data using correspondence analysis
Peter Kokol, Helena Blažun Vošner, Danica Železnik · Nurse Researcher · 2016
BACKGROUND: Digitally stored, large healthcare datasets enable nurses to use 'big data' techniques and tools in nursing research. Big data is complex and multi-dimensional, so visualisation may be a preferable approach to analyse and understand it. AIM: To demonstrate the use of visualisation of big data in a technique called correspondence analysis. DISCUSSION: In the authors' study, relations among data in a nursing dataset were shown visually in graphs using correspondence analysis. The case presented demonstrates that correspondence analysis is easy to use, shows relations between data visually in a form that is simple to interpret, and can reveal hidden associations between data. CONCLUSION: Correspondence analysis supports the discovery of new knowledge. Implications for practice Knowledge obtained using correspondence analysis can be transferred immediately into practice or used to foster further research.