- Email: [email protected]
Qualitative nursing research
158
NURSE EDUCATION
TODAY
reader to follow otherwise complex theoretical ideas and link theory with practice. The last four chapters cover pharmacological and technical resources in the management and control of pain. ‘rhe indexing is good and a list of addresses fol contacts on the subject is provided. Pain remains an area of central concern for health professionals. ‘This second edition is a welcome addition to the increasing range of literature on the subject addressed specifically to nurses. CYN I’HI,Z Y AKINMNY,~ RGN RM DN CERT PWT DNT RF-N LYXXA
Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care WHO Report WHO 1990 75pp illus ISBN: 924120804-X
SW F. 9 PB
-This Report cm cancer pain relief and palliative care continues the now well established quality of work produced by World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committees. ‘The subject of cancer and pain remains both technical and emotive but it is the responsibility of WHO to ensue-e that knowledge about their management is based on the most rigorous and widely accepted premises. ‘This Report fulfiis that obligation. ‘rhe membership of the Committee acknowledges the major contribution that the Llnited Kingdom is making to the development of care of people with cancer. Nursing is represented by Mr Robert ‘Tiffan) of the Royal Marsden Hospital. London, whose immense contribution to the subject is widely acknowIedged. ‘There are 11 sections to the Report. Sections I-3 review the background to the work of the Committee and summarise the present situation in relation to palliative care and the management of cancer pain. Issues about resource allocation, organisation of care and quality of lift are discussed sensitively and authoritatively. Subsequent sections deal with availability ofopioid and relate its use to the reliefof.pain in different physical and psychiatric conditions. If drugs relieve pain, the Committee was conscious of the spiritual and other dimensions of the care needs of people with cancer pain. Sections 8. II and IO adds-ess ethical aspects and the problem of education and training of health care providers and the need fol national policies on cancer care. ‘I-he final section lists 21 recommendations to WHO and !I directed at Members States. ‘rhis 75-page booklet should be a compulsor\ reading tin- all nurse and midwifer) educator-s, PI-actitioners and others concerned with the world-wide problem ot’cancer pain and its management. It should certainly be available in the library for reference. (:\‘N [‘HI.\ 1’ Alilh?;.\N>.\
Miscarriage 8c Stillbirth & Neonatal Death SANDS SANDS 1991 8Opp illus ISBN: 1-869903-15-3 PB ‘rhe Introduction sets out the aims of this booklet in terms of describing ‘the kind of care which bereaved parents need’. ‘I‘he extent to which the aims are achieved varies. A wealth of detailed attention is given to the care of the bereaved family and the care of the staff. Particularly welcome is the recognition of the needs of the family if a woman has miscarried. ‘There are many superb photographs, all of which are heartrendingly poignant. ‘The layout of the text tends to be ‘busy’ in that the additional quotes distract the reader from the theme of the content. .rhe title also is unfortunate in that it is inappropriatelv confrontational in a situation where parents and ra;e providers clearly need to communicate and c:ooperate. ‘There are many questions left unanswered: What do parents need to be told about grieving? What is the role of the grandparents? How should we deal with a baby with an abnormality? Should the cot be kept in the birthing room? Should the care providers cry with the parents? ‘rhese guidelines are,just that. They represent the views of some people with considerable experience in this al-ea. In the absence of.any reference to the theory of grieving or research into the care of those experiencing it, the guidelines provide a list of points which need attention. ‘rhis is line as far as it goes; the booklet comprises a very useful basis for contemplation and discussion. ‘rhe need persisls, though. for the man) questions raised h\; a booklet such as this to be asked and answers sought through wide-I-anging research and debate involving families and carers. ‘That this document will cause cat-ers to re-e\,aluate the care thcv provide is a welcome achie\,ement.
Qualitative Nursing Research Janice M Morse Sage 1991 Rev 343pp illus ISBN: f14.75 PB
O-8039-4079-3
The preface to this book describes it as ‘an edited volume in which some of the sticky issues in qualitative research’ are debated. The ‘sticky issues’ include validity and reliability, researcher bias and techniques of data collection and analysis. Despite attempting to demonstrate qualitative research as an approach in its own right, the contributors often relate issues in qualitative research to those in the quantitative paradigm. For example. Brink’s chapter refers to ‘truthful representation’. ‘compdrdbility with known information’ and ‘verifiability across suPjects and across situations’. ‘The difliculty with all
this is that qualitative approaches are used in new areas of‘ research where there is no known information. Further, subjectivity or the meanings where research participants bring to the situation are by definition unique to them. What meaning, then, can the term have - pain is what the ‘truthful representation’ patient says it is, and participants’ interpretations of their feelings and personal meanings have a similar validiry of their own. .fhis is not a hook tor the beginner in qualitative methods. nor is it an easy read. But it certainly provokes thought and even where this leads to disagreements with the authors, this is beneficial. Not for the faint-hearted!
Nursing Research for Nursing Practice Ed Rebecca Bergman (Chapman & Hall 1990 ?lOpp illus ISBN: 0-41%33.500-X
fl4.95
I‘his IS a reasonably priced and well presented book which aims to present an international perspective on nursirl: ., research and includes work from nine different countries. ‘I‘he largest representation was Irom North America and it was disappointing to see that Britain was not included. Since the main objective of the book is to show the development and impact of nursing research in a socio-politico-economic context surprising that British nursing ir IS parricularly resenlch is not represented. However. the book \uccet*ds in offering a 1 arietv of research topics which I-epresent rducation. practice and administrative per\pecti\,es. ‘I‘hr hook has a11 cx
and format make ir a very accessible text. Ir would certainly be ot.interest and value to both rrperienced and inexperienced nurse researcher\ .~nd WILII~ he ;I valuable addition 10 an\ school of III~I vng lib) ar\
NURSE EDUCATION
TODAY
reader to follow otherwise complex theoretical ideas and link theory with practice. The last four chapters cover pharmacological and technical resources in the management and control of pain. ‘rhe indexing is good and a list of addresses fol contacts on the subject is provided. Pain remains an area of central concern for health professionals. ‘This second edition is a welcome addition to the increasing range of literature on the subject addressed specifically to nurses. CYN I’HI,Z Y AKINMNY,~ RGN RM DN CERT PWT DNT RF-N LYXXA
Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care WHO Report WHO 1990 75pp illus ISBN: 924120804-X
SW F. 9 PB
-This Report cm cancer pain relief and palliative care continues the now well established quality of work produced by World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committees. ‘The subject of cancer and pain remains both technical and emotive but it is the responsibility of WHO to ensue-e that knowledge about their management is based on the most rigorous and widely accepted premises. ‘This Report fulfiis that obligation. ‘rhe membership of the Committee acknowledges the major contribution that the Llnited Kingdom is making to the development of care of people with cancer. Nursing is represented by Mr Robert ‘Tiffan) of the Royal Marsden Hospital. London, whose immense contribution to the subject is widely acknowIedged. ‘There are 11 sections to the Report. Sections I-3 review the background to the work of the Committee and summarise the present situation in relation to palliative care and the management of cancer pain. Issues about resource allocation, organisation of care and quality of lift are discussed sensitively and authoritatively. Subsequent sections deal with availability ofopioid and relate its use to the reliefof.pain in different physical and psychiatric conditions. If drugs relieve pain, the Committee was conscious of the spiritual and other dimensions of the care needs of people with cancer pain. Sections 8. II and IO adds-ess ethical aspects and the problem of education and training of health care providers and the need fol national policies on cancer care. ‘I-he final section lists 21 recommendations to WHO and !I directed at Members States. ‘rhis 75-page booklet should be a compulsor\ reading tin- all nurse and midwifer) educator-s, PI-actitioners and others concerned with the world-wide problem ot’cancer pain and its management. It should certainly be available in the library for reference. (:\‘N [‘HI.\ 1’ Alilh?;.\N>.\
Miscarriage 8c Stillbirth & Neonatal Death SANDS SANDS 1991 8Opp illus ISBN: 1-869903-15-3 PB ‘rhe Introduction sets out the aims of this booklet in terms of describing ‘the kind of care which bereaved parents need’. ‘I‘he extent to which the aims are achieved varies. A wealth of detailed attention is given to the care of the bereaved family and the care of the staff. Particularly welcome is the recognition of the needs of the family if a woman has miscarried. ‘There are many superb photographs, all of which are heartrendingly poignant. ‘The layout of the text tends to be ‘busy’ in that the additional quotes distract the reader from the theme of the content. .rhe title also is unfortunate in that it is inappropriatelv confrontational in a situation where parents and ra;e providers clearly need to communicate and c:ooperate. ‘There are many questions left unanswered: What do parents need to be told about grieving? What is the role of the grandparents? How should we deal with a baby with an abnormality? Should the cot be kept in the birthing room? Should the care providers cry with the parents? ‘rhese guidelines are,just that. They represent the views of some people with considerable experience in this al-ea. In the absence of.any reference to the theory of grieving or research into the care of those experiencing it, the guidelines provide a list of points which need attention. ‘rhis is line as far as it goes; the booklet comprises a very useful basis for contemplation and discussion. ‘rhe need persisls, though. for the man) questions raised h\; a booklet such as this to be asked and answers sought through wide-I-anging research and debate involving families and carers. ‘That this document will cause cat-ers to re-e\,aluate the care thcv provide is a welcome achie\,ement.
Qualitative Nursing Research Janice M Morse Sage 1991 Rev 343pp illus ISBN: f14.75 PB
O-8039-4079-3
The preface to this book describes it as ‘an edited volume in which some of the sticky issues in qualitative research’ are debated. The ‘sticky issues’ include validity and reliability, researcher bias and techniques of data collection and analysis. Despite attempting to demonstrate qualitative research as an approach in its own right, the contributors often relate issues in qualitative research to those in the quantitative paradigm. For example. Brink’s chapter refers to ‘truthful representation’. ‘compdrdbility with known information’ and ‘verifiability across suPjects and across situations’. ‘The difliculty with all
this is that qualitative approaches are used in new areas of‘ research where there is no known information. Further, subjectivity or the meanings where research participants bring to the situation are by definition unique to them. What meaning, then, can the term have - pain is what the ‘truthful representation’ patient says it is, and participants’ interpretations of their feelings and personal meanings have a similar validiry of their own. .fhis is not a hook tor the beginner in qualitative methods. nor is it an easy read. But it certainly provokes thought and even where this leads to disagreements with the authors, this is beneficial. Not for the faint-hearted!
Nursing Research for Nursing Practice Ed Rebecca Bergman (Chapman & Hall 1990 ?lOpp illus ISBN: 0-41%33.500-X
fl4.95
I‘his IS a reasonably priced and well presented book which aims to present an international perspective on nursirl: ., research and includes work from nine different countries. ‘I‘he largest representation was Irom North America and it was disappointing to see that Britain was not included. Since the main objective of the book is to show the development and impact of nursing research in a socio-politico-economic context surprising that British nursing ir IS parricularly resenlch is not represented. However. the book \uccet*ds in offering a 1 arietv of research topics which I-epresent rducation. practice and administrative per\pecti\,es. ‘I‘hr hook has a11 cx
and format make ir a very accessible text. Ir would certainly be ot.interest and value to both rrperienced and inexperienced nurse researcher\ .~nd WILII~ he ;I valuable addition 10 an\ school of III~I vng lib) ar\