Week 1 Flashcards
Domain-Derived and Basic Science Practice-Shaped
Some have described that nursing is at a crossroads that necessitates finding ways to balance knowledge development that is philosophical and conceptual/theoretical with the empirical inquiry, particularly of the developing related biologic sciences. This article sets a direction for nursing knowledge development that is domain-driven. The central role of nursing theory in attaining the common goals of nursing is envisioned. Recommendations include that grand theories, middle-range theories, and practice theories in tree-like fashion feed into the common goal of humanization; that all teaching tools in nursing begin with common goals and describe nursing theories as contributing to these goals; that theory-practice alliances are central in filling out the envisioned domain-driven knowledge and integrating this with practice-shaped basic sciences.
Nursing as a Profession
A profession is “a vocation or occupation that requires specialized knowledge, skills, scientific methods, and values, based on research, and is taught in an institution of higher education”
A profession advocates high ethical standards of its members and engages in expanding its body of knowledge through research. Members of a profession function autonomously, are committed to advanced study, and are motivated by service to society.”
What is a discipline?
“A discipline is a branch of knowledge or field of study with a distinct theoretical body of knowledge and defined boundaries whose purpose is to guide the pursuit, development, and dissemination of knowledge, research, and practice.”
Nursing as a Science
“Unified body of knowledge in which phenomena are observed, identified, described, and investigated. The results of such investigations yield evidence and theoretical explanations of ideas central to a specific discipline and potential resolution of problems.
”“The knowledge derived from the goals and values of the discipline focused on persons and environment as described in theories and studied with multiple methods of inquiry and integrated with relevant practice-shaped basic sciences”
Nursing Knowledge Development
Nursing Knowledge
Philosophy, Beliefs and Value; Practice shaped Basic Science
Theory=Methods of Inquiry
Outcomes: Patient/Family Humanization, organizational changes for humanizing practice, multidisciplinary research with humanization focus
Evidence-Informed Decision Making
Utilization of research by nurses in their practice
May also be called research-based nursing practice, evidence-based practice, evidence-based decision making, and evidence-informed practice
Development of Nursing Knowledge
Nursing knowledge must be expanded continuously.
Professional nurses must stay informed about current evidence.
Scientific literature in a book may be outdated.
Sources of Evidence
Scientific evidence in journals
Non-researched evidence, quality improvement, and risk management data
Individual patient data and patient values, beliefs and experiences.
Why do nurses need to know how to navigate through the research literature?
To access information about evidence-informed practice
Key nursing philosophies
Ontology
Epistemology
Paradigm
Ontology, epistemology and research paradigm
Ontology – examines the natures of reality, addressing the question what is the reality, belief that there is only one single reality, multiple realities, reality is constant
Epistemology – how they understand realities and thinking process, how can I know reality, 1. knowledge can be measure using reliable tools, 2. relativity needs to be interpreted, 3. Need to use the best tools to solve the problem
Paradigm – positivism, constructivism, pragmatism
Ontology
- realism
- relativism
- Critical realism
Refers to the nature of being – what is real – what exists (examples realism, critical realism, & relativism)
Realism: sometimes callednaturalism, objectivity is the key here. Reality exists “out there” and is driven by undeniable “natural laws.” The goal of science is to discover the “true” nature of reality with the aim being to “control and predict natural phenomena.”
Critical Realism: Acknowledges that reality exists external to the mind, yet it cannot be known because as humans, we lack the ability to know. Critical realism is concerned with the nature of causation, agency, structure, and relations.
Relativism: the doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context, and are not absolute. Many ‘truths’ are possible.
Epistemology
Refers to the nature of human knowledge, how do we come to know (objectivist, subjectivist), how we examine reality
Paradigm
A system of ideas, or world view, used by a community of researchers to generate knowledge. It is a set of assumptions, research strategies and criteria for rigour that are shared, even taken for granted by that community”
Positivism
Realist ontology, meaning that reality exists “out there” and is driven by undeniable “natural laws.”
The goal of science is to discover the “true” nature of reality with the aim being to “control and predict natural phenomena.”
Objectivist epistemology
Generate knowledge by adopting a distant and noninteractive stance by choosing experimental, empirical, controlled methodologies to test hypotheses.
