@article{748999bc99324ed897ee8ef13e003934,
title = "Nursing conceptualizations of research and practice",
abstract = "Despite the fact that computer use in health care and nursing is burgeoning, nurses often find that they have inadequate tools with which to manage information about complex phenomena. Family is one such complex phenomenon of interest to nurses. Commonly-used computer tools for managing information about families may not be congruent with the ways that individuals define their families and may not be consistent with nursing conceptualization of families as dynamic groups not necessarily limited to biologically related individuals. Building nursing knowledge on incongruent conceptualizations will result in inaccurate knowledge. Communication and collaboration between nurse researchers, clinicians, and nursing informatics researchers are needed in order to produce tools that are consistent with nursing conceptualization and that will support nursing research and practice.",
author = "Jane Peace and Lutz, {Kristin F.}",
note = "Funding Information: In this article, we are asking nurses to use skills that they already possess—those of designing and using instruments that are conceptually congruent with their phenomena of interest—but to translate those skills to the informatics arena. Nurses must be mindful of the conceptualizations on which computational tools are based, be aware of what types of information may be missing or inaccurate and, at times, even reject the use of unsuitable tools as inconsistent with nursing knowledge and practice. As nurses reject existing tools, they have a unique opportunity to describe tools that would be consistent with nursing conceptualization and to collaborate with nursing informatics researchers to develop computational tools that will enable nurses to build sound nursing knowledge and provide optimal care. The development of these tools will be complex, requiring the combined expertise of nurse researchers, nurse clinicians, and nurse informaticists. Collaboration and communication are, therefore, vital. As the use of computers in healthcare becomes routine and the amount of information nurses must locate, synthesize, and apply grows, nurses have a unique opportunity to ensure that computer systems support rather than hinder nursing research and practice. Nurses must critically consider the commitments on which their tools are based, recognize situations in which the commitments are inconsistent with nursing conceptualization, and speak up when a better tool is needed. Research support provided to the first author by National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health (grant F37 LM008636). The authors gratefully acknowledge the support and assistance of Patricia F. Brennan, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI. Jane Peace, RN, MSN, FNP , is a Doctoral Candidate at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing. Kristin F. Lutz, PhD, RN , is an Assistant Professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing. ",
year = "2009",
month = jan,
doi = "10.1016/j.outlook.2008.07.003",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "57",
pages = "42--49",
journal = "Nursing outlook",
issn = "0029-6554",
publisher = "Mosby Inc.",
number = "1",
}