NURSING KNOWLEDGE, THEORY AND METHOD REVISITED

With the approach of the 21st century, nursing is having to respond to diverse influences which are remoulding the professional landscape. N ot least of these is the changing status of western economies which un derpins a drive towards evidence-based practice and an increased empha sis on multidisciplinary approaches to health care delivery. Certainty in health care is now a thing of the past. Central to the way the nur sing profession embraces the future is its underlying philosophy: that which articulates professional values and shapes practice, research, education and management. In a time of change it is therefore essentia l to revisit the philosophical framework which underpins nursing. The debate in nursing research and theory appears to have stressed the pol arization of viewpoints. It may be the case that feminist writers, eth nographers, positivist researchers and nursing theorists, in defending their own points of view, diminish rather than enhance professional d ialogue. This paper reviews the nature of this debate within nursing a nd considers the implications that a dichotomous position may have for knowledge, theory and research method within the current context of h ealth care. It then suggests a philosophical framework which could be relevant and accessible across the whole spectrum of nursing activity. In so doing, the paper aims to contribute to the discussion around ep istemology and method in a way which encompasses the diversity found w ithin the broad church of nursing.