Tears and rage: the nursing crisis in America

Phenomenology and Nursing Research By Michael Crotty

this form of inquiry and the importance of taking the next step in p h e n o m e n o l o gy. This is to suspend meanings in order to critically investigate and interpret the

Tears and rage: the nursing crisis in America

Churchill Livingstone 1996

objects of the immediate experience to

J Schweitzer

$39.35

w h i c h t h e y are a t t r i b u t e d . T h u s his

Adams-Blake Publishing, California

c a t c h - c r y is "back to the t h i n g s t h e m -

1995

2 0 2 pages

selves", t h e o b j e c t s of o u r e x p e r i e n c e T h e main objective of Michael Crotty's

w h e n first seen through fresh eyes and

new publication is to make nurses aware

not t h r o u g h eyes w h i c h have

of the uncritical manner in which they

taught to see the particular.

been

This book is about the image of nursing a b o u t w h a t it m e a n s to he a n u r s e in America today. It is not a pretty book, in

T h i s b o o k is a must read for nurses

fact hardly anyone should read it - it is

research practice. T h i s lack of critique

interested in the philosophy and methods

depressing, even infuriating. As American

denies an understanding of the authentic

of phenomenology. It is the first text pub-

hospitals arc in business to make money,

a p p l i c a t i o n s of p h e n o m e n o l o g y w h i c h

lished in Australia in this area. T h e author

the continual take-overs and restructuring

stemmed from European traditions, and

has used scholarly and persuasive argu-

associated with big business affect all the

i m p o r t a n t l y disregards the o n t o l o g i c a l

are using p h e n o m e n o l o g y within their

ments to provide historical and contem-

staff - and clients. It would be easy to dis-

basis upon which nurses are using various

porary views of the p h e n o m e n o l o g i c a l

miss this book for its American ccntrcd-

phenomenological methods.

movement. Explanations of often difficult

ricss, and be thankful that we in Australia

Two phenomenologies are clearly and

to understand concepts such as henneneu-

are not 'there'. However, a quote which

carefully defined in this book. T h e first

tics, the taie nature of bracketing, experi-

will ring a chill bell with many Australian

version stems from European traditions,

ence, consciousness and t h e use of the

nurses is:

and ranges from the transcendental phe-

subjective self are clear and useful to any

nomenologist, Husseri, to existential phe-

researcher. C h a p t e r s on

Heidegger's

"Corporate America pays little attention to nurses, seeing us as e x p e n d a b l e

nomcnologists such as Sartre, Mcrieau-

ontology and the use of phenomenology

entities w h o s e work can be d o n e more

Ponly and Ricoeur. T h e second phenom-

in the social world are highly readable.

cheaply by someone else... Since nurses

enology is that which has been 'transport-

Even Patricia Benner's w o r k is radically

comprise a significant bulk of the work

ed' in its various forms to North America

critiqued. The bibliography is very useful

force, we are the first to go. Consultants

from the 1960s onward. Ibis p h e n o m e -

to the researcher, but the o n e failing is

see numbers and the urge to cut and slash

nology has been utilised within the para-

that the final section on the phenomenol-

becomes irresistible. Alter all, these aren't

digm of humanistic p s y c h o l o g y by van

ogy of nursing is somewhat limited.

p e o p l e , just n u m b e r s . N u r s e s arc n o w

Kaam, Giorgi, Colaizzi and o t h e r s and

slated to become 'case managers'. We get

provides step-by-slep m e t h o d o l o g i e s to

Reviewed by:

t h e job d o n e by giving directions, just

uncover the human experience.

Ms Sue Turale, MNS, BAppSci (Adv.Nurs),

like traffic cops. W h o are we directing?

Crotty quite tightly explains that the

DAppSci (AdvPsychNurs), RPN, RN, RM,

C o o d question. T h e r e are several series

nursing profession has espoused this lat-

FCNA, FANZCMHN. Acting Head, School

of initials that come to mind: PCA, CTA,

t e r v e r s i o n of p h e n o m e n o l o g y in an

of Nursing, University of Ballarat.

RCA. These arc unlicensed assistive per-

unquestioning manner. While Crotty

sonnel of varying sorts and qualifications,

does not d e m o n s t r a t e adverse reactions

t r a i n e d for six m o n t h s , six w e e k s , six

to using new versions of phenomenologi-

days, six minutes. These will be the ones

cal research, he argues that nurses are

in whom families will entrust the care of

enthusiastically

their ioved ones." p.81

applying

without

thought the North American methodolo-

T h e d e v a s t a t i n g eflects of m a n a g e d

gies to identify and explain the meanings

care America's style are b l a m e d for the

of human experience. His contention is

huge numbers of nurses out of work. Yet

t h a t this form of n u r s i n g i n q u i r y has failed to recognised both the newness of

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