One step towards the understanding of hope: a concept analysis

Hope is an essential concept in nursing which has not been satisfactorily explored. The purpose of this article is to elucidate the concept of hope, using a technique of concept analysis described by Walker and Avant, 1995. The critical attributes revealed were; future-orientation, positive expectation, intentionality, activity, realism, goal-setting, and inter-connectedness. Various illustrative cases are presented as well as antecedents and outcomes. The discussion highlights some critical aspects of the method used and the results of this analysis may serve as a guide for further empirical research. In order to grasp the true nature of hope, complementary research studies employing a variety of methodological approaches are needed.     

Critical access health care: a concept analysis

PURPOSE. The purpose of this paper is to provide a concept analysis of critical access health care. A common understanding of critical access health care would benefit those who legislate, provide, and consume health care. METHODS. A review of the literature was conducted using an identical set of search terms that yielded a variety of sources; however, none were specifically related to critical access health care. FINDINGS. No literature of concept analysis of critical access health care could be found. CONCLUSIONS. A concrete and measurable understanding of the concept will provide a common foundation to assist public and private entities in developing viable methods to understand healthcare policies, problems related to access, disparities in health care, and ways to increase health promotion and disease prevention.     

Enablement in health care context: a concept analysis

Rationale, aims and objectives The enablement process is defined as a professional intervention aiming to recognize, support and emphasize the patient's capacity to have control over her or his health and life. The purpose of this article was to study the enablement concept through a concept analysis in the health care context to identify: (1) its attributes and (2) its antecedents and consequents. Method A concept analysis was performed according to the method of Rodgers. The literature was reviewed from 1980 to June 2008, using search strategies adapted to the databases Cinahl, Medline, Embase, PsycInfo and Social Works Abstract, and hand searching. All articles contributing to a deeper understanding of the concept were included. The analysis was carried out according to a thematic analysis procedure, as described by Miles & Huberman. Results The search identified 1305 citations. After in‐depth assessment of 148 potentially eligible citations, 61 articles were included in the review. Five articles were added with hand searching. Sixty‐seven per cent of these articles were related to nursing. The attributes of the enablement concept included: contribution to the therapeutic relationship; consideration of the person as a whole; facilitation of learning; valorization of the person's strengths; implication and support to decision making; and broadening of the possibilities. Conclusion These attributes could be used as a basis for other studies on enablement. Conceptual and empirical work is still needed to better position this concept among others such as patient‐centred care, shared decision making and patient's participation.     

User involvement in health and social care education: a concept analysis

This paper presents an evaluative discussion of the literature, and findings from a concept analysis which explores user involvement in the context of health and social care higher education in the United Kingdom. User involvement is increasingly a requirement in higher education and the purpose of the concept analysis was to clarify and elucidate the meaning and nature of the concept. Walker and Avant's (2005) eight step framework for concept analysis was used to provide understanding of the underlying attributes and a model for critique and meaningful evaluation and research. A structured search and discussion of contemporary literature was undertaken. A model case is identified along with antecedents, critical attributes and consequences. The complexities of involvement are delineated with a recommendation for robust research that explores the benefits of involvement.     

A concept analysis of social capital within a health context

PURPOSE.   This paper aims to clarify the concept of social capital within a health context using Rodgers's (2000 ) Evolutionary Method .
SOURCE.   Published literature .
CONCLUSIONS.   The analysis demonstrates that social capital is the intangible assets, including trust, networks, and social norms of reciprocity, possessed by a society within a specific culture. When a unit (individual or a family) increases its sense of community or quality of community participation, this could increase its social capital. The result of this analysis provides a guide for further conceptual and empirical research and clinical practice .     

卫生保健领域中改进科学的概念分析

本文介绍卫生保健领域中改进科学的概念、特征、相似概念、知识体系、理论模型和典型实例,并通过一项质量改进项目的分析提出对实践的启示,以期为今后相关研究提供科学依据。     

Resilience: a concept analysis

TOPIC: Concept analysis of resilience. PURPOSE: To analyze the concept of resilience and provide a definition of resilience that is contextually independent of specific age-related groups or populations. SOURCES: Published literature. CONCLUSIONS: Resilience is being increasingly studied in innovative ways among diverse populations. The broadly accepted definition of the term, however, has evolved through literature related specifically to children and adolescents. This concept analysis can provide a fundamental definition of resilience that is derived from the evolution of the term but broadly supports contemporary applications. Resilience researchers can apply this definition when exploring the possibility of resilience-based interventions.     

Transformative learning in nursing education: A concept analysis

ObjectiveThere is vast literature on transformative learning, which is an important aspect of nursing education, but its meaning remains unclear. It is therefore important to clarify the meaning of transformative learning, identify its attributes, antecedents and consequences to increase its use in nursing education, practice and research.MethodsWalker and Avant’s method was used, and the process provided a structured way to analyse the concept of ‘transformative learning’. Nursing education dictionaries, encyclopaedias, conference papers, research articles, dissertations, theses, journal articles, thesauri and relevant books through the database library and internet searches were reviewed. One hundred and two literature sources were reviewed, and data saturation was reached.ResultsThe results of the concept analysis of transformative learning within the context of nursing education identified three categories, namely, 1)Antecedents as cognitive and affective perspective, democratic education principles and inspiration; 2)Process through three phases, namely i) awareness through self-reflection, ii) the meaningful interactive, integrative and democratic construction process, and iii) metacognitive reasoning abilities; and 3)Outcomes. A theoretical definition of transformative learning was formulated. Theoretical validity was ensured.ConclusionThe results of the concept analysis of transformative learning were used to describe a model to facilitate transformative learning within the context of nursing education.     

Threat: a concept analysis for a new era

TOPIC: Living in a post-September 11 world, the concept of threat has never been more apparent in people's minds. PURPOSE: To reviews past analyses, capture the critical elements, and clarify a newly defined meaning of threat. SOURCES: Walker and Avant's method was used to conduct the analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding an individual's perceived threat and the emotions experienced by this phenomenon can help develop research-based interventions, decrease perceived threat, increase positive coping strategies, and decrease negative emotions.     

Childhood obesity: a Wilsonian concept analysis

The rate of childhood obesity in the United States has tripled since 1980, with approximately 17% of U.S. children between the ages of 2 and 19 years currently identified as obese. Although a multitude of programs have been implemented to prevent and treat childhood obesity, no single strategy has been identified as the most effective method. Part of the problem in identifying successful interventions is clarifying what is meant by the term obesity as it applies to children. This article provides a concept analysis of the term obesity in relation to children using a Wilsonian approach.     

Witnessed resuscitation: a concept analysis

The science and practice of resuscitation is recognised and endorsed on an international level, yet for more than a decade it has appeared in the literature alongside words such as witnessing or witnessed to signify the practice of family presence during a resuscitation attempt. This paper explores the meaning of witnessed resuscitation using the process for concept analysis proposed by Rodgers. The term resuscitation is explored, followed by identification of relevant uses of the concept of witnessed resuscitation. The reader is introduced to conceptual variations that challenge the way in which the concept has become associated with family or relatives presence in the resuscitation room of an accident and emergency department. Conceptual clarity is further enhanced through the identification of references, antecedents and consequences of witnessed resuscitation and by providing a model case of the concept that includes its defining attributes.     

Clinical decision-making in the intensive care unit: A concept analysis

AimTo operationally define clinical decision-making as it relates to intensive care unit nursing.BackgroundClinical decision-making is an intricate cognitive process that is demanding on intensive care nurses due to the severity of their patients’ illnesses, consistent exposure to high-stakes situations, and prevalent patient mortality. When compromised, it can lead to adverse patient events. However, clinical decision-making specific to the intensive care unit is a concept seldom defined in nursing research.DesignConcept analysis.MethodsUsing Walker and Avant’s eight-step method, nursing databases were searched for studies between 1980 and 2022 describing the antecedents, defining attributes, consequences, and empirical referents of clinical decision-making in the intensive setting.FindingsIntensive care unit clinical decision-making is a complex cognitive process in which nurses recognize a clinical problem in their patient and respond promptly by implementing interventions to improve their patient’s rapidly and frequently changing health status to a more favorable condition in an intensive care setting. The defining attributes are: assessment of the patient situation, prompt recognition of cues, efficient comprehension of patient data abnormalities, prior knowledge and experience, prompt response to the clinical problem(s), colleague collaboration, formulation of interventions to treat clinical problem(s), and appraisal of risks/benefits.ConclusionIntensive care unit clinical decision-making is a skill that is different from traditional clinical decision-making in nursing. Prompt action characterizes this concept due to the unstable health status of these patients. More research on this concept is needed to enhance nurse performance and patient outcomes in intensive care.Implications for clinical practiceA definition of this concept opens doors for potential studies on promoting effective decision-making among intensive care nurses. This can improve the safety and outcomes of critically ill patients. Additionally, it generates new questions regarding how nursing schools and hospital orientation programs can promote and develop competent decision-making skills in future intensive care nurses.     

Abuse in health care: a concept analysis

Scand J Caring Sci; 2012; 26; 123–132 Abuse in health care: a concept analysis Aims and objectives: To analyse the concept of abuse in health care. This analysis also covers how abuse in health care is different from the related concepts of medical error, patient satisfaction and personal identity threat. Background: Abuse in health care is an emerging concept in need of a clear analysis and definition. At the same time, boundaries to the related concepts are not demarcated. Design: Concept analysis as developed by Walker and Avant. Method: The databases Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Medline, and Google Scholar were used to obtain articles published between 1997 and 2009. A total of eleven articles are referred to on abuse in health care, four on medical error, six on patient satisfaction and three on personal identity threat. Results: Abuse in health care is defined by patients’ subjective experiences of encounters with the health care system, characterized by devoid of care, where patients suffer and feel they lose their value as human beings. The events are most often unintended. We also found differences with the aforementioned related concepts: medical error does not share the patients’ perspective, and patient satisfaction does not offer room for patients’ abusive experiences. The concept of personal identity threat shares all attributes with abuse in health care, but it lacks an antecedent that signifies the social structures underlying the phenomenon. Conclusions: Abuse in health care covers a phenomenon that has severe consequences but is invisible if seen from a medical error or patient satisfaction perspective.     

Family-centred care: a concept analysis

Family-centred care would seem to be a central element of children's nursing, but there is no consensus about its meaning. This paper uses a combination of Rodgers' evolutionary model of concept analysis and Schwartz-Barcott and Kim's hybrid model of concept development to facilitate a dispositional approach to analysing this concept. Data from a qualitative survey undertaken during 1994/1995 was used in conjunction with data obtained through a questionnaire, to provide the field-work element for the process of analysis. The process resulted in the identification of the antecedents and attributes of family-centred care, and the identification of a lack of clarity related to the consequences of family-centred care. Two alternative models of family-centred care emerged, both of which demonstrate strong associations with the concepts of partnership with parents, parental participation and care by parents. The paper does not conclude with any definition of family-centred care, but rather explores its usefulness in practice and considers how the concept might be operationalized. The tentative proposals for a hierarchy of family-centred care will require exploration, testing and evaluation by practitioners in the real world of children's nursing.     

Sedentarism: a concept analysis

TOPIC: Concept analysis of sedentarism. PURPOSE: To analyze the concept of sedentarism and provide a definition and model of sedentarism to guide practice and research. SOURCES: Published literature. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention and treatment of sedentarism is a priority for healthcare providers serving all developmental groups. Research is urgently needed to describe the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of sedentarism, and to identify the most effective intervention strategies and public policy changes to promote a physically active lifestyle.