Naturalistic inquiry in practice

We have the setting and the instrument, both of which exist naturally and without any prearranged orchestration. The implications of these two factors is clear, yet they deserve conscious assessment. Think about it. Think about what comes naturally in light of the technology that seeks to replace and repress human observations. It is worth pondering and requires the desire to get back to basics. Even laboratory animals are afforded a near natural habitat. The study of human behavior demands the same consideration, more so in fact, since people can and will perceive an unnatural atmosphere and respond to it defensively. Nurses have the power to use all five senses and, possibly, the sixth sense of intuition to transform assessments into realistic research proposals. We diagnose and treat human responses to illness. Let us, then, refuse to ignore this very vital function of our profession, the one function that keeps us in touch with our patients as fellow human beings.