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Critical perspectives in the study of nursing work
1Department of Sociology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. swall@ualberta.ca
Journal of Health Organization and Management
|August 12, 2010
Summary
Critiquing nursing research on practice environments using sociological perspectives reveals limitations in addressing nurses' work. Future research should integrate these critical viewpoints for a deeper understanding of nurses' work experiences.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Research
- Sociology of Work
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Organizational restructuring in healthcare significantly impacts nursing practice.
- Existing research often focuses on management concerns and employs a positivistic approach.
- Expedient solutions in nursing research may overlook underlying influencers of nurses' working conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critique current nursing research on practice environments.
- To juxtapose nursing research with critical sociological perspectives on nurses' work.
- To propose an alternative research paradigm integrating sociological insights.
Main Methods:
- Review of extant nursing and health services research on nursing practice environments.
- Introduction and expansion of sociological concepts.
- Linking sociological concepts to variables measured in nursing literature.
Main Results:
- Nursing research on job satisfaction is management-focused and positivistic.
- Sociological concepts (gender, knowledge, professionalization, organizations) offer deeper insights.
- Current research approaches may obscure underlying factors influencing nurses' work.
Conclusions:
- Sociological perspectives provide a foundation for more critical research on nurses' work.
- Reframing the study of work by integrating management and sociological viewpoints.
- Understanding factors influencing the quality of nurses' working lives requires a broader conceptual foundation.
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