Foundation of Humanistic Nursing Theory
Logic of Phenomenological Methodology
METHODOLOGY-A PROCESS OF BEING
Toward a Responsible Free Research Nurse in the Health Arena
Chapter five
Toward a Responsible Free Research Nurse in the Health Arena
In this chapter, Paterson described of how the senses are bombarded during the nursing education experience especially starting school. It is a student's responsibility to learn and report back. Students are given instruction on how to do research, mostly in a quantitative sense, that is, to bracket, isolate, use objectivity, and to see relationships within this context. Dr. Paterson's contention is that life isn't like that and it is difficult and nigh near impossible to look at nursing objectively and scientifically in its entirety as nursing is a lived experience.
The nurse researcher is often regarded with suspicion on a unit or workplace by others. This is likely the result of the researcher withholding information from the staff until the study is completed. How colleagues view the researcher may sway the investigation, and the researcher may or may not be aware of this factor.
Humanistic nursing practice theory proposes phenomenology, a descriptive approach to participants in the nursing situation as a method for studying, interpreting, and attesting the nature and meaning of the lived events...Words and conceptualized ideas are the tools of phenomenology. Protection of distinct persons and meaningful communications can be augmented through the utilization of abstractions, metaphors, analogies, and parables. So humanistic nurses, as practitioners and researchers, are inherently responsible for their manner of being, responding, and consciously sculpturing knowledge into words. (P & Z, p. 54)
How does a nurse become humanly responsible? This was pondered by Dr. Paterson as she again looked at the philosophers for guidance. One of the concepts she brought forth was to look inward at our own values. In looking inward we are usually our most severest critic and acceptance of our own nature is usually more difficult than acceptance of others. With this in mind, the nurse, using empathy and knowing, makes responsible decisions about what knowledge to share and to withhold. In working with psychiatric patients she expressed the need for the nurse to relay acceptance of the "awesome dreads" they tell about and to appreciate their uniqueness while at the same time being cognizant of their own humanness.
Frequently a situation will arise where the nurse will risk herself/himself for the patient. For example, they know they may buck standards or values in order to protect or promote more-being. Why would a nurse do this? In order to know why, several things need to occur. First would be the awareness of the total response to the patient. Then a recollection of the situation along with self perceptions, actions, reciprocity, communications, and recollection of responses to similar situations. This information then becomes the raw data that is available for research. Analyzing, questioning, relating, pondering, synthesizing, considering alternatives and ongoing correction, perhaps sharing perceptions with others for reality testing and verification becomes the how of phenomenological humanistic nursing research.
When all of these are considered and evaluated, a responsible choosing of responses based on knowledge and sound nursing values needs to occur. This response needs to be congruent with authenticity of self, beliefs and values. The nurse and the nurse's patient become more than prior to this transaction. This is the actualization of the human potential.
Words are how we convey experiences. Words fall short even if richly described and yet this is how phenomenological research is done. Dr. Paterson cautioned that in order to do humanistic nursing research, the researcher must put heart and soul into the project not just view it as work in order to pass a course or publish a paper.
In presentation of one's research, a logical sequential program works best as that is how humans incorporate knowledge. The use of metaphors, sayings, analogies and common phrases have withstood the test of time and convey a concept in fewer words universally accepted. These may work best in conveying a feeling, a situation, emotions, and concepts that are, unfortunately, left out of medical records. Before presentation, a proof-reading by a colleague is helpful in ensuring that the information presented is verified with the author. A check-up, if you will, to ensure the content has not changed.
In relating nursing experiences, phenomenology will accept the usage of objective categorizations, but this should be secondary to the awareness of experiencing and its description. Meaning to the participant of a situation or transaction in its uniqueness, differences and variations holds the most value.
For a nurse to become a free responsible research nurse in the health arena the she accepts the her lived nursing world as beyond the controls valued in positivistic science. She appreciates her lived nursing world as saturated with knowledge to be extracted or wrung. Then she must examine, recognize, appreciate, and unfold her history, her angular view, and her human nurse potential. In prizing her view, as nurse, she will ask relevant nursing questions. To attain her potential as a nurse she will discipline herself rigorously for authenticity with the self. With the self-acceptance that comes with self-authenticity she will know the importance of the difference she and the nursing profession make and can make in the community of man. Then out of her own human social need and for the survival of nursing she will describe to propel knowledge, nursing theory, and practice forward. In this process and in its effects she will become more human as she contributes to man's humanization. (P & Z, p. 63)