Aim: To compare and contrast postal and internet surveys in studies of nurse workforces.
Background: There is little research that examines the advantages and disadvantages of different surveys in studies of nurse workforces.
Data sources: Previous studies that used different approaches to disseminate surveys.
Discussion: There are advantages and disadvantages to using postal or internet surveys for nurse workforce studies.
Conclusion: Factors researchers may wish to consider in selecting survey methods include research topic, costs, coverage, timing and the characteristics of potential respondents.
Implications for research/practice: Response rate, data quality and adequate coverage of the population being studied can be optimised if the researcher selects an appropriate survey method.