Evidence-based practice: for better or worse

Introducing nursing practice to student nurses: How can we promote care compassion and empathy

To the population nursing and caring are synonymous. Empathy and using therapeutic relationships are ways that nurses can utilise care and compassion in their practice. However health care delivery needs to be led by evidence and one way to ensure evidence-based care is delivered compassionately and with empathy is to utilise the principles of nursing therapeutics. Nursing therapeutics allows a nurse to understand how care should be delivered as well as why. This discussion paper explores the use of therapeutic relationship building, nursing therapeutics and compassionate nursing and how neophyte student nurses can be introduced into these concepts during their first practice exposure. Using clinical case-studies, role-play and reflective discussion, student nurses explore and re-evaluate assumptions, to apprise and consider their beliefs and their impulse to care. Educational dialogue encourages a connection with the patient, to the person and their humanity. The implementation of this approach is facilitated by the use of newly devised learning resources which have been formulated to frame the encounter and to enable the student to look at their interaction and develop their therapeutic approach.

Fundamental care and knowledge interests: Implications for nursing science

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To characterise the intratheoretical interests of knowledge in nursing science as an epistemological framework for fundamental care.

BACKGROUND

For Jürgen Habermas, theory does not separate knowledge interests from life. All knowledge, understanding and human research is always interested. Habermas formulated the knowledge interests in empirical-analytical, historical-hermeneutic and critical social sciences; but said nothing about health sciences and nursing science.

DESIGN

Discursive paper.

RESULTS

The article is organised into five sections that develop our argument about the implications of the Habermasian intratheoretical interests in nursing science and fundamental care: the persistence of a technical interest, the predominance of a practical interest, the importance of an emancipatory interest, "being there" to understand individuals' experience and an "existential crisis" that uncovers the individual's subjectivity.

CONCLUSIONS

The nursing discipline can take on practical and emancipatory interests (together with a technical interest) as its fundamental knowledge interests. Nurses' privileged position in the delivery of fundamental care gives them the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the patient's experience and illness process through physical contact and empathic communication.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE AND NURSING RESEARCH

In clinical, academic and research environments, nurses should highlight the importance of fundamental care, showcasing the value of practical and emancipatory knowledge. This process could help to improve nursing science's leadership, social visibility and idiosyncrasy.

Is it really theoretical? A review of sampling in grounded theory studies in nursing journals

BACKGROUND

Grounded theory is a distinct method of qualitative research, where core features are theoretical sampling and constant comparative analysis. However, inconsistent application of these activities has been observed in published studies.

AIM

This review assessed the use of theoretical sampling in grounded theory studies in nursing journals.

DESIGN

An adapted systematic review was conducted.

METHOD

Three leading nursing journals (2010-2014) were searched for studies stating grounded theory as the method. Sampling was assessed using a concise rating tool.

RESULTS

A high proportion (86%) of the 134 articles described an iterative process of data collection and analysis. However, half of the studies did not demonstrate theoretical sampling, with many studies declaring or indicating a purposive sampling approach throughout.

CONCLUSION

Specific reporting guidelines for grounded theory studies should be developed to ensure that study reports describe an iterative process of fieldwork and theoretical development.

Leadership in surgery for public sector hospitals in Jamaica: strategies for the operating room

The barriers to health care delivery in developing nations are many: underfunding, limited support services, scarce resources, suboptimal health care worker attitudes, and deficient health care policies are some of the challenges. The literature contains little information about health care leadership in developing nations. This discursive paper examines the impact of leadership on the delivery of operating room (OR) services in public sector hospitals in Jamaica.Delivery of OR services in Jamaica is hindered by many unique cultural, financial, political, and environmental barriers. We identify six leadership goals adapted to this environment to achieve change. Effective leadership must adapt to the environment. Delivery of OR services in Jamaica may be improved by addressing leadership training, workplace safety, interpersonal communication, and work environment and by revising existing policies. Additionally, there should be regular practice audits and quality control surveys.