Nursing Theory, Postmodernism, Post-structuralism, and Foucault critiques mainstream American nursing theory and its use of post-structural theory, comparing and contrasting how postmodern and post-structural ideas have been used fruitfully in nursing research and theorizing elsewhere. In the late 1980s, references to post-structuralism and Michel Foucault started to appear in nursing journals. Since then, hundreds of nursing publications have cited postmodernism and key post-structural ideas such as power/knowledge, discourse, and de-centring the human subject. In Nursing Theory, Postmodernism, Post-structuralism, and Foucault, Olga Petrovskaya argues that the application of these ideas is markedly different in American nursing theory scholarship compared to nursing theoretical scholarship generated outside the canon of "unique" nursing theory. Analysing relevant literature from the late 1980s through 2010s, she demonstrates this difference, arguing that American nursing theory calcified into a matrix of dogmas built on logical positivism, wary of "borrowed" theory, and loyal to a "unique nursing science." Post-structural ideas that fit the matrix, such as criticism of medicine, are sanctioned, whereas ideas sceptical of humanistic agendas including those that challenge American nursing theory are rendered meaningless. In contrast, other nurse scholars from Britain, Australia, Canada, and what the author calls the American enclave group engaged with postmodern and post-structural perspectives to enrich their research and invite readers to rethink nursing practice. The book showcases examples of their intelligent, creative theorizing. Arguing that American nursing theory enervated nursing theorizing, Petrovskaya calls for opening this matrix to theoretical and methodological creativity, less rigid categories of scholarship, and healthy self-examination. Making the case that post-structural ideas are vital for nurses’ ability to critically reflect on their discipline and profession, this is a necessary read for all those interested in nursing theory, philosophy, and praxis. Chapter 1 of this book is available for free in PDF format as Open Access from the individual product page at www.routledge.com. It has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license.

Philosophy offers a means of unpacking and grappling with important questions and issues relevant to nursing practice, research, scholarship, and education. By engaging in these discussions, this Handbook provides a gateway to new understandings of nursing. The Handbook, which is split loosely into seven sections, begins with a foundational chapter exploring philosophy’s relationship to and with nursing and nursing theory. Subsequent sections thereafter examine a wide range of philosophic issues relevant to nursing knowledge and activity. Philosophy and nursing, philosophy and science, nursing theory Nursing’s ethical dimension is described Philosophic questions concerning patient care are investigated Socio-contextual and political concerns relevant to nursing are unpacked Contributors tackle difficult questions confronting nursing Difficulties around speech, courage, and race/otherness are discussed Philosophic questions pertaining to scholarship, research, and technology are addressed International in scope, this volume provides a vital reference for all those interested in thinking about nursing, whether students, practitioners, researchers, or educators.

Examining the historical context of healthcare whilst focusing on building a more just, equitable world, this book proposes a radical imagination for nursing and presents possibilities for speculative futures embracing queer, feminist, posthuman, and abolitionist frames. Bringing together radical and emancipatory perspectives from an international selection of authors, this book reflects on the realities created by the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing that our situation is not new but the result of ongoing hegemonies and injustices. The authors attend to the history of nursing and related institutions, examining the assumptions, ideologies, and discourses that shape the discipline and its place within healthcare. They explore the impact of this context on contemporary nursing and look at alternative visions for the future. The final section specifically focuses on ways that we can move forward. Envisioning new possibilities for nursing, this innovative volume is a vital resource for practitioners, scholars and students keen to promote social justice within and without nursing. It is an important contribution to nursing theory, philosophy and history.

Research shows that racism affects the working lives of nurses and nurse academics, as well as healthcare service delivery and outcomes. This book looks at the impact of racism, from experiences of microaggression to discrimination and structural and institutionalised racism. Focusing on the work of five researchers and practitioners who have chosen to address and investigate the racism they experience, witness or observe in the UK’s National Health Service and Universities, this book includes personal reflections on their findings. The substantive chapters are framed by a discussion of policy and research on racism, thoughts on research supervision within this field and a drawing together of the key themes developed through the book. Giving voice to nurses’ and lecturers’ responses to racism in nursing education and practice, this is an important contribution for students, researchers and practitioners with an interest in health inequalities, healthcare organisations, research methods and workforce development.

Drawing on ethnographic research conducted by an American nurse, Caring in Context is an exploration of how most of the world experiences cancer, and how nurses bear witness and respond to the suffering of others when they have little means to help—or for complex reasons, choose not to. This compelling book centers on nurses in a government cancer hospital in South India and examines key contexts that influence nursing practice and the delivery of healthcare, including hierarchical legacies of colonialism and the caste system, resource scarcity, power and perceived powerlessness, and gender inequities. These themes are illustrated through intersecting narratives, such as the story of Hameeda, an orphaned teenager with sarcoma who lives at the hospital until she becomes paralyzed, and Sister Meena, a nurse who strives to provide better care but encounters overwhelming structural obstacles and is chastised by her superiors for doing too much. Offering a critical re-examination of the realities faced by clinicians, patients, and family members who struggle to deliver and receive cancer care, Caring in Context’s unique perspective and accessible style will appeal to a wide and interdisciplinary audience, from practitioners, academics, and advocates to anyone interested in the complex context of the human experience.

Focussing on end-of-life care for people who use, or have used, substances, this book explores their social and health care needs and the multiple disadvantages they have often experienced, discussing the complexities around access to care that result. Presenting models of good practice, case studies and empirically based evidence, Substance Use, End-of-Life Care is informative, rigorous and useful for policy and practice development. The first section foregrounds the personal experiences of people living with substance use, their families and friends, and the health and social care professionals who work with them. The second section looks at how health inequalities can impact people in need of palliative care, including chapters on health literacy, mental health and learning disabilities. The final section explores social challenges that may be experienced, including homelessness, sex work, racism and incarceration. This interdisciplinary volume is essential for researchers, practitioners, students and educators working around substance use, mental health and palliative and end-of-life care, who are looking for guidance and a reference for their work in supporting people at the end of their lives who have multiple and often complex needs.

"In the first three chapters, the author examines definitions of postmodern and postcultural approaches and ways in which they can be used to influence and inform us about health care. Chapters 4 and 5 look at the practical aspects of proposing and carrying out research projects using these approaches. Cheek concludes by reviewing the "intellectural journey" required in coming to grips with the meaning and application of these approaches, and she suggests ways in which the reader can continue to grow in his or her pursuit."--BOOK JACKET.