Directions for nursing theory development in the 21st century.

The development of the discipline of nursing has gone through four stages: theorizing, developing a syntax, concept development, and philosophical debate. These stages helped in shaping the characteristics of the discipline as a human science, a practice science, a science with social goals to empower nurses to provide effective and quality care, and one in which gender differences and the need for understanding minorities are areas of primary concern. Further theoretical development in the discipline will be driven by population needs and will be characterized by reaching out to meet the integrative and interdisciplinary nature of these needs. Sources of theories of the future are practice, theory and research. It is anticipated that two models will evolve to guide the development of phenomenon-driven theories in the future and that third generation theorists will utilize these models.     

Postmodernism and nursing knowledge development

Postmodernism is a philosophical and social movement which stresses that ideas are temporary, research data should be considered only in context, reality is transcendent, grand theories are invalid, problems are deconstructed, and findings should have practical value. Manifestations of the postmodern paradigm are reflected in the epistemological shifts of nursing science and knowledge development in the professional community of nurses in Western countries. This article explores the context within which this movement emerged, delineates how it has deconstructed "language" and "subject" to frame a new paradigm and outlines related implications on nursing knowledge development. Both challenges and opportunities face the nursing profession as it evolves into a postmodern paradigm.     

Focus on community: directions for nursing knowledge development

Nurses are challenged to advance the theoretical foundations of community practice. This paper offers ideas on what has been done and what needs to be done to meet this challenge. Within a community health nursing perspective, the paper defines community, proposes an integrated knowledge development framework that focuses on community, analyses contemporary theoretical and philosophical foundations of community in nursing, considers three world-views in which nursing can be framed, and examines parameters for knowledge development for the future.     

Research in nursing domain: essential base for the development of nursing knowledge and professionalism

In this article the principles and reasons by which in the Italian Nursing field research is necessary, in a popular way, are discussed. The use of scientific inquiry to study its peculiar aspects through the use of the scientific method for the production of specific knowledge is faced. Phases of the quantitative method are illustrated It is also underlined the rationale and reasons why it is considered urgent to form aware and active professionals, able to use the results of the literature along with to be able to conduct or to participate in research studies with the purpose to nurturing the scientific debate and to care with consequential data from the scientific evidence.     

Race and microaggression in nursing knowledge development

Race is a social environmental element in many nursing knowledge contexts. We explore how race and racism have been conceptualized in nursing research and theory, situating these issues in the debate between Critical Race Theory and postracialism. Contemporarily, racism is more subtle than overt. Subtle racism takes the form of microaggressions in everyday discourse and practices by whites toward African Americans. This occurs with little to no awareness on the part of whites. Using this concept, practice and education are explored. We hold that microaggressions contribute to stress for the target person, which may partly account for racial health disparities.     

Qualitative concept development: implications for nursing research and knowledge

TOPIC: Qualitative concept development. The purpose of this article is to analyze existing and emerging qualitative concept development approaches and discuss implications for nursing research and knowledge. SOURCE: Literature. CONCLUSIONS: Concept development is necessary to insure the ongoing emergence of nursing theory and knowledge. Investigators are urged to use empirical data and advanced qualitative research methods to move concept development forward. Although an inductive process is inherent to qualitative investigations, it is apparent that iterative movement between inductive and deductive approaches is needed to carry out concept development studies. Concepts used in nursing are complex and challenging to define. For this reason, concept development is a rigorous and time-intensive process, which requires commensurate financial and time commitments.     

Value of phenomenology for evidence-based nursing expertise and the development of nursing care knowledge. Part II

This second article starts by an argumentation linked to the choice of hermeneutic approach in regards to little know, as the one of comfort. It goes on by a synthesis of several essential elements of the transcendental and Existential Phenomenology. The principal characteristics of the contemporary and interpretative Phenomenology are outlined such as the phenomenological approach of Benner. The activity of putting in parenthesis (bracketing) is presented, as criteria of participant's inclusion and exclusion, the context within the study was unfolded and the manner of lived interviews in other aspects, some kept data in the "carnet de bord" are put in perspective. The procedure of coding data is described as thematics categories which emerged from them direct observations are approached. Finally, criteria of rigour and ethical aspects of the research end this article.     

Directions for disaster nursing education in the United States

Because of their diverse education, experience, and practice settings, nurses are uniquely qualified to be first receivers, care givers, and leaders in any large-scale public health emergency. Many nurses, however, continue to feel inadequately prepared to function effectively in these types of situations. Great strides have been made since 2001, but much work remains to be accomplished. This article focuses on newer approaches used to teach nurses the principles of disaster preparedness. It also addresses the need to incorporate mass casualty care and disaster management skills into undergraduate curricula, continuing nurse education, and advanced degree programs for nurses in the United States.     

Contributions of Martha Rogers to the development of nursing knowledge.

Martha Rogers' greatest contribution may be her introduction into nursing of a questioning stance about the prevailing models of science, leading to increased acceptance of alternative paradigms, a variety of research methods, and explorations of topics such as existentialism and Eastern philosophy. Nursing is a richer, more diverse profession because of Martha Rogers.     

Towards a coexistence of paradigms in nursing knowledge development

During the last 35 years, nursing knowledge has known a surge in its development. Following the evolution of the scientific world, nursing first embraced the logical empiricist perspective of discovering and knowing. Historicism and, more recently, critical social theory have been explored as alternative ways of making knowledge in nursing. This paper discusses the evolution of nursing knowledge, considering its past and present activities. The authors suggest that a cooperative attitude amongst nurses, and a coexistence of various paradigms of knowledge development characterize the future of nursing. Nursing knowledge should be understood as a stage in its evolution and growth. The result of this process will never be a final static body of knowledge. Knowledge expansion will be encouraged through a process of integrating components from different research traditions, such that a multidimensional understanding of phenomena will be realised.     

Kuhn's paradigm concept and the paradigm development model of nursing knowledge

Kuhn's thoughts on scientific revolutions, published in 1962, had a huge impact on many disciplines. In order to gain a foothold in their professional discipline, nursing scholars in the early stage aggressively borrowed knowledge from other disciplines, including Kuhn's outstanding thoughts on scientific revolutions, such as paradigm, normal science, and anomaly, that frequently appeared in scholarly articles in nursing. This article, therefore, first introduces the evolutional historical background to nursing knowledge. Secondly, it elucidates Kuhn's paradigm and scientific revolutions. Lastly, it reflects upon and analyzes nursing knowledge using Kuhn's paradigm and scientific revolutions.     

Data mining as a tool for research and knowledge development in nursing

The ability to collect and store data has grown at a dramatic rate in all disciplines over the past two decades. Healthcare has been no exception. The shift toward evidence-based practice and outcomes research presents significant opportunities and challenges to extract meaningful information from massive amounts of clinical data to transform it into the best available knowledge to guide nursing practice. Data mining, a step in the process of Knowledge Discovery in Databases, is a method of unearthing information from large data sets. Built upon statistical analysis, artificial intelligence, and machine learning technologies, data mining can analyze massive amounts of data and provide useful and interesting information about patterns and relationships that exist within the data that might otherwise be missed. As domain experts, nurse researchers are in ideal positions to use this proven technology to transform the information that is available in existing data repositories into useful and understandable knowledge to guide nursing practice and for active interdisciplinary collaboration and research.