Using interpretive methods to understand family caregiving when a child is blind

Interpretive research methods can enhance nursing practice with families caring for a child with a chronic illness or handicapping condition by providing an understanding of the family caregiving experience based on an interpretation of the meanings, practices and concerns of family caregivers themselves. In this article, the authors give an introductory overview to interpretive research and a discussion of its contributions to family nursing, using an illustration taken from an interpretive study of the family experience of caring for a blind child.