Utilizing Interview Guides in Qualitative Cardiac Nursing Research: An Integrative Review on Enhancing Depth and Rigor of Data Collection

Cardiovascular diseases remain one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, significantly affecting patients’ physical, emotional, and psychosocial well-being. In qualitative cardiac nursing research, understanding lived experiences of participants is essential for improving patient-centered care and evidence-based nursing interventions. One of the most widely used data collection tools in qualitative inquiry is the interview guide, particularly in semi-structured interviews. However, inconsistencies in the development and utilization of interview guides may affect the rigor, credibility, and depth of qualitative findings. This integrative review aimed to examine the utilization of interview guides in qualitative cardiac nursing research and determine their contribution to enhancing the depth and rigor of data collection. An integrative review design was employed through the analysis of peer-reviewed qualitative and mixed-method studies related to cardiac nursing and interview-based data collection. Relevant literature was retrieved from databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Data were synthesized thematically using a structured data extraction matrix. Findings revealed four major themes: methodological grounding in interview guide development, structured flexibility in semi-structured interviews, enhancement of data depth and credibility, and challenges related to transparency and methodological rigor. Results showed that well-developed interview guides improved consistency, facilitated deeper exploration of psychosocial and behavioral experiences, and strengthened the credibility of qualitative findings. However, many studies lacked detailed reporting regarding the development, pilot testing, and refinement of interview guides. In conclusion, interview guides are essential tools in qualitative cardiac nursing research that significantly enhance methodological rigor and data richness when systematically developed, transparently reported, and appropriately implemented.