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Nursing Praxis in New Zealand
Vol. 23 No. 1 - 2007
EDITORIAL
ARTICLES
Jill Bennett
New Zealand Women Living with HIV/AIDS: A Feminist Perspective
Mary Finlayson, Linda Aiken & Ivana Nakarada-Kordic
New Zealand Nurses’ Reports on Hospital Care: An International Comparison
Vivien Rodgers & Stephen Neville
Personal Autonomy for Older People Living in Residential Care: An Overview
Liz Smythe & Lynne Giddings
From Experience to Definition: Addressing the Question ‘What is Qualitative Research?’
NEW ZEALAND WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS:
A FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE
Jill Bennett, RN, BN, MA (Nursing), MCNA(NZ)
Palliative Care Community Nurse, Mercy Hospice, Auckland
Abstract
This paper draws on current and earlier literature, together with observational and anecdotal data to reveal the situation of HIV positive women in New Zealand. The present picture is examined in relation to data from a previously unpublished qualitative study undertaken by the author in 2001 using a feminist perspective. It would seem that dominant concerns of the women today are much the same as those surfacing in the earlier study. These include stigma and the associated problem of whether to conceal or reveal. Additionally these women are concerned that health professionals do not always take their problems seriously. Their distress is aggravated by fact of them being women suffering from what is generally seen as a male disease. The feminist perspective highlights the relative powerlessness of many women in the context of sexual relations whereby much of the prophylactic advice – such as insistence on condom use – becomes irrelevant. New women oriented education programmes are needed. It is argued that nurses are well placed to make a positive contribution in this area of care, and in fact are obligated to do so if their practice is to be consistent with the profession’s declared aims with respect to cultural safety. However it is noted that there is still a degree of prejudice and ignorance to be overcome before the desired results will be achieved.
Key Words: HIV, women, qualitative research
Article Order Code: 231 A
NEW ZEALAND NURSES’ REPORTS ON HOSPITAL
CARE: AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON
Mary Finlayson, RN, PhD, MCNA(NZ) Associate Professor,
University of Auckland, New Zealand
Linda Aiken, RN, PhD, FAAN, FRCN, Claire M. Fagin Professor in Nursing,
Professor of Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, United States
Ivana Nakarada-Kordic, MSc, Research Assistant,
University of Auckland, New Zealand
Abstract
Despite the differences in health care systems, nursing shortages and their contributing factors and consequences no longer seem to be solely country-specific. The present study replicated a cross-national study of nurses’ perceptions of staffing, work organisation and outcomes conducted in more than 700 hospitals in the United States, Canada, England, Scotland, and Germany (Aiken et al., 2001). This paper compares the 2001 New Zealand findings with the findings of the fivecountry study.
New Zealand nurses report similar shortcomings in their work environment as do the nurses in countries with distinctly different health care systems. While they report similar high levels of competence and good relations between doctors and nurses as the respondents in the other five countries, higher numbers of New Zealand nurses 30 years of age or younger report their intention to leave their current jobs. New Zealand nurses also report the highest levels of job related stress, high levels of job dissatisfaction, and more than half report receiving inadequate organisational support. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of recent changes in the hospital environment.
Key Words: Nurses’ work environment and organisation, quality of care, workforce
management, International Hospital Outcomes Study.
Article Order Code: 231 B
PERSONAL AUTONOMY FOR OLDER PEOPLE LIVING
IN RESIDENTIAL CARE: AN OVERVIEW
Vivien Rodgers, RN, BA, GDGN, MN, Lecturer
School of Health Sciences, Massey University
Stephen Neville, RN, PhD, FCNA(NZ), Senior Lecturer
School of Health Sciences, Massey University
Abstract
Autonomy has significance for everyone, including those in long-term residential
care. This article looks at the concept of autonomy particularly in relation to the
population of older persons living in residential care settings. It examines the values
underpinning the exercise of personal autonomy and notes how an individual’s
autonomy may be enhanced or restricted. The implications for gerontological
nursing practice are outlined and suggestions offered as to how personal autonomy
for older persons living in residential care may be preserved and promoted.
Key Words: Personal autonomy, residential care, older people, gerontological
nursing.
Article Order Code: 231 C
FROM EXPERIENCE TO DEFINITION:
ADDRESSING THE QUESTION
‘WHAT IS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?’
Liz Smythe, RN, RM, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health &
Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology
Lynne S. Giddings, RN, RM, PhD
Associate Professor, School of Midwifery, Faculty of Health &
Environmental Sciences, Auckland University of Technology
Abstract
Most health professionals today have heard of ‘qualitative research’ but many remain confused as to what it is and how to go about doing it. In this paper, two experienced qualitative researchers become engaged in conversation exploring the question ‘what is qualitative research?’ Lynne Giddings and Liz Smythe are Associate Professors in the Faculty of Health & Environmental Sciences at the Auckland University of Technology. They engage a reader in exploring issues such as: What might draw you to qualitative research? How does qualitative research make a difference to practice? How can reading a qualitative research article inform practice? From a qualitative perspective, what is ‘truth’? How many participants? What happens to the data? What about the bias of the researcher? Can qualitative findings trusted? Stories and exemplars are used to highlight the processes and issues involved in undertaking a qualitative research study.
Key words: Qualitative research, qualitative interviewing, purposive sampling,
trustworthiness, ethical considerations, transferability.
Article Order Code: 231 D
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