Application of discourse analysis to nursing inquiry

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Qualitative Methodologies
• Discourse Analysis

Background:

• Discourse analysis (DA) is often misapplied in nursing research due to a lack of understanding of its theoretical and methodological underpinnings.
• Limited examples of DA application in nursing hinder novice researchers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the misapplication of discourse analysis in nursing research.
• To provide a specific nursing research example illustrating the application of DA.
• To describe the process of applying DA to nursing research using the authors' experiences.

Main Methods:

• The paper outlines a specific nursing research example utilizing discourse analysis.
• The authors describe their personal experiences in applying DA to nursing research.
• Two distinct approaches to adopting a DA framework are presented: a structured framework and a personal narrative.

Main Results:

• The study demonstrates a practical application of discourse analysis within a nursing context.
• The authors' experiences highlight the process and challenges of implementing DA in nursing research.
• Two pathways for engaging with discourse analysis are illustrated, offering flexibility for researchers.

Conclusions:

• Clearer understanding and application of discourse analysis can improve nursing research quality.
• Providing concrete examples and methodological guidance facilitates the adoption of DA by nurse researchers.
• The described approaches offer valuable insights for researchers seeking to employ discourse analysis in their work.