As indicated in the general instructions for individual activities, study questions are meant to facilitate your independent reading and learning. You may or may not write out your responses to the questions. I suggest you e-mail me to discuss items and terminology you have difficulty with. Since we do not have the classroom setting for lecture and discussion, this interaction and discussion using e-mail communication is very important. This type of activity facilitates divergent and critical thinking, very important elements of graduate education.
1. Reflect on your reading in Chapter One of McEwen & Wills regarding Carper's patterns of knowing for nursing and your own nursing practice.
a. Describe a client situation and/or problem requiring a nursing intervention.
b. Describe the intervention.
c. How do you see Carper's ways of knowing contributing to your actions?
2. Briefly describe knowledge development as summarized by McEwen & Wills (Ch 1).
3. Describe the received view of science and the perceived veiw of science (Ch 1).
4. What is nursing metaparadigm?(Ch 2) Define theory. (Ch 3)
5. Refer to the concrete-abstract continuum (Ch 3).
Provide an example of at least one abstract construct and its corresponding direct
or
indirect concepts and empirical indicators.
Example:
Construct: transportation
Concept: automobile, train, airplane, bicycle
Empiric Indicators: Toyota Camry, Amtrak passenger car, Boeing 737, Schwinn 10-speed
6. Chapter 3 & 4 provides an overview of the empiric
theory development process. The process of creating conceptual meaning (concept
analysis) is
described first, but need not be the first step in theory development. Your major
individual assignment for this course is to perform an analysis on a concept
of interest to you in your clinical practice or one of importance to the family
you are working with
this semester.
a. Identify the concept, or possible concepts you will choose from, for your analysis.
7. Refer to Chapter 3 & 4 and the terminology list for Unit I. These two sources describe and define various definitions for theory and theory related terms, as well as terms relevant to the concept analysis process. Review definitions for each of the following terms.