Care as a matter of courage

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The following is a critique of an article written by Christel Roberts and Charlotte B. Thorup entitled, “Care as a Matter of Courage: Vulnerability, Suffering and Ethical Formation in Nursing Care.” The article was published in 2012 and featured in the Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. The article records details of a qualitative research study on nurses’ life experiences with vulnerability and suffering and how they perceive this phenomenon impacts nursing care. This study was developed in 2005 and conducted by researchers in Sweden, Finland, and Denmark in 2007 (Roberts & Thorup, 2012).
Research Purpose/Aim
The research purpose was clearly stated in the article. The primary aim of the research was to discover the link between nurses’ own vulnerability and suffering, its influence on ethical formation, and its effect on courage in nursing care of vulnerable and suffering patients (Roberts & Thorup, 2012). This study is highly significant to nursing as it encourages nurses to develop more self-awareness and enables them to become more ethically sensitive in their nursing care (Roberts & Thorup, 2012).
Conceptual/Theoretical Framework
While this study does not directly identify a conceptual or theoretical framework, it could be implied based on the inclusion of background nursing research literature in which concept analysis and various themes were discussed in conducting similar qualitative studies. The concepts or themes surrounding this study include vulnerability and suffering, introduction and interaction with the patient, moral responsibility, as well as feelings and sensitivity (Roberts & Thorup, 2012). Conceptual models are less structured than theories and broadly demonstrate concepts of interrelated phenomena (Be...

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...s in relationship to courage and providing care (Roberts & Thorup, 2012).
Conclusion
In the future, more care could be taken in discussing the research framework and design; however, overall, this was a well-designed, qualitative research study. Despite a few potential limitations, the study findings were reasonable, consistent with one another, and compatible with similar studies, leaving the research consumer satisfied with the soundness of the study.

References
Beck, C.T., & Polit, D.F. (2014). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice. (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Roberts, C., & Thorup, C.B. (2012). Care as a matter of courage: Vulnerability, suffering and ethical formation in nursing care. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 26, 427-435. doi: 10.1111/j.1461-6712.2011.0094

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