Progress's Pilgrim: a critical narrative of research in progress

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Qualitative Research Methods
• Health Services Research

Background:

• Increasing interest in using narrative (story) in nursing and healthcare practice development.
• Story and science are distinct yet complementary paradigms for research.
• Narrative analysis offers a framework for understanding and improving social scientific investigations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the use of story as a framework for understanding and developing nursing research.
• To analyze challenges encountered in a study on community psychiatric nurses' empowerment of individuals with enduring mental disorders.
• To apply narrative analysis, specifically Burke's pentad, to identify and address research 'trouble'.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a story framework for reflection on social scientific investigation.
• Employed narrative analysis based on Burke's 'pentad' of story elements.
• Analyzed the 'story of the study' from funding through pilot and main study development.

Main Results:

• Identified 'trouble' in the research process, stemming from a lack of fit between methods and the goal of empowerment.
• Highlighted issues concerning the role of community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) as actors or agents.
• Narrative analysis provided insights into these methodological and role-related challenges.

Conclusions:

• A story framework can enhance researcher reflection and guide research progression.
• Narrative analysis is a valuable tool for identifying and resolving complex issues in health services research.
• The study demonstrates the utility of narrative approaches in addressing practical challenges in nursing research, particularly concerning empowerment.