Expanding Nursing Knowledge
Understanding and Researching your own Practice
By- Gary Rolfe, PhD, MA, BSc, RMN, RGN, NT, PGCEA , Principal Lecturer, School of Health Studies, University of Portsmouth, UK
In order to give fully holistic and individualized patient care the practitioner needs to constantly expand their knowledge-base. It is recognized that the value of scientific research alone is limited and it must be enhanced by knowledge gained through personal experience. This book will engage nurses and midwives in an exploration of their own clinical knowledge base and demonstrate how to expand it through reflection and practitioner-centred research.
Clear explanations are given of the different types of knowledge practitioners possess and the book encourages them to consider the personal and experiential theory which informs their clinical decisions.
Paperback, 224 Pages
Published: December 1997
Imprint: Butterworth Heinemann
ISBN: 978-0-7506-3013-9
Contents
- PART ONE: Understanding Your Practice; Nursing Knowledge; Nursing and the scientific paradigm; The limitations of technical rationality; Beyond technical rationality - other ways of knowing; Notes to chapter 1; Professional Judgement; Developing personal theory; Personal theory and professional judgement; Notes to chapter 2; PART TWO: Researching Your Practice; A new Paradigm for the practitioner-researcher; Towards a new paradigm; Asking practitioner-centred research questions; Methodologies for practitioner-centred research; Summary; Notes to chapter 3; Single case experimental research; Background and rationale; Research questions; Methodology and research design; Data collection methods; Validity and reliability; Data analysis; Summary; Reflective case study research; Background and rationale; Research questions; Methodology and research design; Data collection methods; Validity and reliability; Data analysis; Summary; Notes to chapter 5; Reflexive action research; Background and rationale; Research questions; Methodology and research design; Data collection methods; Validity and reliability; Data analysis; Summary; Notes to chapter 6; Epilogue
