Feminist issues in e-mail group discussion among cancer patients

From a feminist perspective, issues in using e-mail group discussion among cancer patients are explored and discussed by analyzing a study on gender and ethnic differences in cancer pain experiences among cancer patients. First, the study is concisely described. Then, while considering the essential components of research from a feminist perspective, issues identified throughout the research process (intersubjectivity, lack of women's voices, reflexivity and contextuality, dependability, and adequacy and credibility) are discussed. Based on the discussion, implications for future feminist research using e-mail group discussion are proposed.     

A discussion of early intervention services from the perspective of the philosophy of family nursing

About ten years ago in Taiwan, the government initiated early intervention for development-delayed children. For the purpose of early detection of latent cases and providing early intervention at the prime time for children, nurses are involved in the service, and their main contribution is in the screening procedure. Early intervention emphasizes the family-centered approach, the philosophy of which is the same as that of family nursing. With similar concerns as its axis, this article discusses the meaning and essential concepts or elements of early intervention practice, including the family assessment and individual family service plan (IFSP), home-based early intervention, family support, parent participation, parent education, etc. The hope is to improve nurses' understanding in order to enable them to bring into play a greater range of role functions when they participate in early intervention services in the future.     

Feminist methodology in nursing research

In this paper the author discusses her experiences as a feminist, nurse and sociologist carrying out a study of hysterectomy. Difficulties in setting up the research, carrying out interviews and publishing reports result from masculine models of sociological research and from the fact that nursing work, including research, is carried out in a context of medical domination. These experiences are analysed in terms of feminist research methodology in sociology, and it is argued that in the case of nursing and women's health a feminist perspective offers opportunities for mutual consciousness-raising and for working together to challenge male medical control over these aspects of women's lives.     

Feminist nursing research without gender

This theoretic article examines the potential for different types of nursing research to reinforce or undermine gender categories that historically have served to limit some women and marginalize others. Feminist research that gathers or analyzes information in the form of a male/female or man/woman dichotomy risks reproducing social relations damaging to women. Other approaches to dispersing or deconstructing gender dichotomies are discussed, and a series of questions about feminist nursing research is raised.     

Feminist approaches to nursing history

Nursing history, similar to women's history, has followed the progression of feminist movements, garnering approach and direction from emerging feminist thought. In this article, in a chronological format, women's and nursing history are juxtaposed with feminist movements. Brief representations of scholarship in women's history are used to set the context for nursing history, which forms the bulk of the analysis. Although the purpose of this article is to delineate the evolution/direction of Canadian nursing history, past and current historiography is framed within important international scholarship; hence, discussion of works by Celia Davies, Barbara Melosh, and Susan Reverby, for example, is included. New directions in Canadian nursing history should include attention to everyday work experiences from which nurses and nursing students construct their identity. In addition, comparisons to other workers will be helpful.