An examination of Positivist and Critical Realist Philosophical Approaches to Nursing Research

This paper emphasises the importance for researchers to explicitly locate their work within a philosophical framework. It examines the ontological, epistemological and methodological similarities and differences of Positivism and Critical Realism; highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of these philosophical approaches in relation to nursing research. Whilst acknowledging several limitations and risks associated with undertaking research from a critical realist perspective it concludes that this perspective still appears to provide a more appropriate foundation for systematic enquiry within the discipline of nursing than is achieved by adopting a positivist approach to such investigation

The Work-Life Balance of Nursing Professionals: An Information Technology Context

Evaluating Information Technology (IT) and Nursing Professionals’ intentions to leave their organizations during COVID-19 using Critical Lens Theory found similar perceptions toward job burnout and the 6Cs of nursing. Both groups suffer from similar levels of emotional exhaustion. Nurses exhibit lower levels of Depersonalization and Personal Accomplishment than IT Professionals. IT professionals scored lower across the 6Cs of nursing, supporting the stereotype of IT professionals exhibiting lower levels of care and compassion toward customers. IT Professionals scored higher on Personal Accomplishments. Interestingly, both groups seemed to keep their options open in seeking new jobs or quitting their current position

Military veteran engagement with mental health and well-being services: a qualitative study of the role of the peer support worker

Background: Many UK military veterans experiencing mental health and well-being difficulties do not engage with support services to get the help they need. Some mental health clinics employ Peer Support Workers (PSWs) to help veteran patients engage, however it is not known how the role influences UK veteran engagement. Aims: To gain insight into the role of peer support in UK veteran engagement with mental health and well-being services. Method: A qualitative study based on 18 semi-structured interviews with veterans, PSWs and mental health clinicians at a specialist veteran mental health and well-being clinic in Scotland. Results: Four themes of the PSW role as positive first impression, understanding professional friend, helpful and supportive connector, and an open door were identified across all participants. The PSWs’ military connection, social and well-being support and role in providing veterans with an easily accessible route to dis-engage and re-engage with the service over multiple engagement attempts were particularly crucial. Conclusions: The Peer Support role enhanced veteran engagement in the majority of instances. Study findings mirrored existing peer support literature, provided new evidence in relation to engaging UK veterans, and made recommendations for future veteran research and service provision

Critical realism: what you should know and how to apply it.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the critical realism (CR) philosophical viewpoint and how it can be applied in qualitative research. CR is a relatively new and viable philosophical paradigm proposed as an alternative to the more predominant paradigms of positivism, interpretivism and pragmatism. This paper reviews the concept, its benefits and limitation. It goes further to provide an example of how CR is used as a philosophical and methodological framework with the systems thinking theory to applied qualitative research. Design/methodology/approach: A study of project management challenges in a Nigerian government organisation is used to demonstrate a qualitative research approach, which includes a coding process and data analysis that is consistent with CR ontology and epistemology. Findings: CR focuses primarily on closed systems. However, a more accurate explanation of reality is obtained in addition to the identification of contextual causal mechanisms in the context of study when a general systems theory is applied. Research limitations/implications: The knowledge about the nature of relationships obtained in the context of study may not necessarily be replicated in another context. However, this paper elucidates a CR process that is generalisable by demonstrating how a theory is applied in a different context. Originality/value: The paper demonstrates how systems theory is used to understand interactions in a CR paradigm. It engages with CR approach critically and illustrates a clear example of how CR can be applied in social research

Spunti per un'ermeneutica e un'euristica della Biblioteca Digitale

Assumed that hermeneutic and heuristic are no more than words, Digital Library world abounds with words unclear, not only to users but to operators, too. It is worthy to add to the tangled world of DL 2.0 these two words, unheard in the theorethical books of the Library Science 1.0, though obstinately proposed by many of pur "classics". Our task is that of simplify to us and to the others the language of communication, of the reaching of the DL Manifesto and related studies. In this effort for a generalized simplification of all the words unclear to most of the users and operators, it is essential a propaedeutical work of "taking possession" of the deep meaning of such terms, first of all understanding what are the meaning and need of hermeneutic and heuristic in Digital Library, then achieving, following and founding on such bases our studies, and in the end preparing and communicating the DL to a world that is waiting for it

Ontologising social justice in decolonised and post-apartheid settings

One topical issue in South Africa since the 1994 democratic elections is how a socially just higher education may be advanced in the context of the decolonial demand for the recognition of diverse epistemologies in the curriculum. The challenge since 1994 however has been what social justice means in the decolonial and post-apartheid settings where injustices continue to be perpetrated on the basis of race, albeit covertly. This article examines African and South African epistemologies and ontologies of social justice, in the context of decoloniality and curricula transformation in higher education, that became more pronounced through the #Feesmustfall protests in 2015. I argue that while social justice occurs within particular historical and political contexts, it is necessary to discern some ontologies of social justice that are not necessarily reducible to contexts. Use is made of Realist (R), Critical Realist (CR) and Race Realist Theory (RRT) perspective to unpack paradoxical constructions of social justice in post-colonial and post-apartheid South Africa

# FeesMustFall protests in South Africa : a critical realist analysis of selected newspaper articles

Abstract: Using Critical Realism, this article looks at articles from selected South African newspapers which reported on the #FeesMustFall protests. The study established that, arising from the protests, was a culture characteried by tensions and distrust amongst stakeholders such as students, university management and the government. This, the article argues, was a result of how each of these stakeholders perceived, and went on to exercise, their agency in an attempt to resolve the conflict arising from the protests. To avert a recurrence of negative consequences of student protests such as the destruction of property and development of toxic and adversarial relationships amongst different stakeholders, the article recommends collaborative approaches to conflict resolution in South African higher education. These approaches need to be framed differently from those in which some stakeholders seek to use their agency to achieve outright victory over other stakeholders – a recurring mode of engagement during the #FeesMustFall protests

Building Relationships in Inclusive Research in Diverse Contexts

This article explores relationships between academics and people with intellectual disabilities collaborating in inclusive research. The authors present and reflect upon narrative accounts from Norway and England from both sides of the relationship. Each relationship is examined, including how it was initiated, established, developed and sustained, what worked well, what the obstacles were and how any conflicts were approached. The concept of being an ‘alongsider’, working alongside each other (and alongside participants with intellectual disabilities) is used. The paper shows variety in how alongsider relationships are initiated and fostered over time. Mostly, partnerships were initiated informally, based on pre-existing relationships as friends or through support worker-client relationship or earlier research cooperation, although one was initiated through a formal selection process. The paper concludes that when building relationships over time, the personal dimension is important, including sharing an interest, mutual respect and liking each other, while funding and tight timelines can interfere