Intersectionality and Critical Realism: A Philosophical Framework for Advancing Nursing Leadership

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Sociology
• Philosophy

Background:

• Current nursing leadership literature has gaps in addressing social position impacts.
• Nurses hold multiple social positions influencing their leadership trajectories.
• Existing frameworks may not fully capture the complexity of these influences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a philosophical framework integrating intersectionality theory and critical realism for nursing leadership studies.
• To address how intersecting social positions create oppression affecting leadership development.
• To provide a theoretical foundation for future nursing leadership research methodologies.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis integrating intersectionality theory and critical realism.
• Application of the framework to the study of nursing leadership.
• Development of a theoretical foundation for methodological approaches.

Main Results:

• A robust theoretical foundation for studying nursing leadership is established.
• The framework highlights the matrix of oppression impacting nurses' leadership opportunities.
• It provides a basis for judging the merits of chosen methodologies in this field.

Conclusions:

• Integrating intersectionality and critical realism offers a comprehensive approach to nursing leadership research.
• This framework can illuminate previously unaddressed barriers to leadership development for nurses.
• It calls for methodological innovation in studying nursing leadership to account for social complexities.