On applying psychoanalytic explanation in phenomenological research

A study of student midwives' experiences during their two-year education programme

OBJECTIVE

To explore the opinions, feelings and views of student midwives of their education as they progressed through their two-year programme in Ireland, with the intention of interpreting and understanding the working and learning world of the participants so that future students might be assisted to improve their educational experiences.

DESIGN

Triangulation, using quantitative and qualitative methods. A phenomenological approach was used to guide the qualitative section of the study.

SETTING

All seven midwifery schools in Southern Ireland.

PARTICIPANTS

All students in the first intake of 1995 in every midwifery school (n = 125).

DATA COLLECTION

Individual and group interviews, diary-keeping and questionnaires. The design and conduct of the study are described in this paper and the findings will be presented at a later date.

Historical and epistemological perspectives on research and nursing

This paper examines four main themes with respect to some problematic issues concerning the discipline of nursing, nursing scholarship and the social sciences. First, attention is directed to the controversial issues concerning nursing's search for a knowledge base. Second, a historical context is provided by drawing attention to some key developments between the quantitative and qualitative approaches to research in nursing. Third, the issue of the fundamental and attested difficulties in the application of qualitative methodologies is addressed. Finally, it is submitted that in the interest of nursing's future as a scholarly endeavour, the discipline should focus polemic attention on the body of knowledge already accumulated.