Abstract
Qualitative research methods complement mental health nursing practice—with a focus on the lived experience. These methods do not work from pre-determined categories applied to the person's experience but rather seek to find and interpret the categories and themes from within the collected data Qualitative research fits with the skills embedded in mental health nursing practice, qualitative research because it is well-suited to the investigation of the complexities of human responses and experiences that are integral to everyday practice. Mental health nurses who practice a recovery-focused model of care have a unique perspective on the complexities of mental health distress and the patient's needs for connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment that promotes recovery (Leamy et al. 2011).