The ramifications of perspective: how theory focuses research, data, and practice

Although theoretical perspectives may be traced from theory to everyday life, the reverse is also true. In this article, the author explores how subdisciplines within nursing perceive and approach the clinical problem of incontinence in elderly persons.

To examine the relationship among the perception of clinical problems, various theoretical perspectives considered pertinent to the research to resolve these problems, different approaches to the research, and different research 'products.'

In everyday life, we may trace beliefs, opinions, and behaviors back to their theoretical perspectives. The author uses a fictitious everyday conversation among 3 nurse researchers and a clinician as they discuss a scenario from literature regarding incontinence in the homecare of the elderly and suggests various research alternatives to approach the problem.

Although nursing subscribes to a holistic perspective of the person, the scope of a holistic perspective cannot be accommodated within a single research approach. Specialization in nursing results in various priorities for approaching the problem of incontinence, resulting in different research agendas, different goals, and different outcomes.

These divergent perspectives-arising within a single discipline-compete for research funding, for political attention and for policy recommendations.