CARING CONCEPT ANALYSIS

An analysis of caring using Rodger's evolutionary framework

An analysis of caring using Rodger's evolutionary framework

Introduction

Caring is crucial concept and element of nursing. The nurses are required to have a basic and a thorough understanding of this concept in order to carry out their practices in accordance with this concept. In order to carry out a meaningful basic research in nursing science, development of the basic concepts is an essential prerequisite. Rodger's evolutionary framework is a mechanism that is used for development of knowledge and basic concepts in nursing science. This method focuses on clearly defined phases for the process of analysis. Therefore, it is a systematic manner of executing research. It helps in clearly explaining and describing concepts that are central to the profession of nursing. This study makes use of this framework in order to have a thorough understanding of the concept of caring in the profession of nursing (Tofthagen & Fagerstrom, 2010, p. 10). The concept of caring can be defined in several ways in the context of the profession of nursing. A thorough overview of literature is carried out in this study to understand the different aspects of caring in this profession.

Identification of concept and framework

Rodgers has defined the term concept as the characteristics or an idea that is linked with the word (Fraser, 2011, p. 11). A concept can also be defined as a cluster of attributes. Concepts are the structural components or building blocks of any type of theory (Brilowski & Wendler, 2004, p. 641). Definition and analysis of concept is an activity that is scientific in nature. Nurse scholars have recognized the fact that development of concept is integral for the development of knowledge. The concept of interest in this study is 'Caring'. The concept of caring is chosen because caring is called as the fundamental element to nursing practice. However, the concept of caring is still a vague concept that is not crystal clear to the nurses. This concept is analysed using Rodger's Evolutionary Framework. There are seven steps involved in this framework: identification of the concept of interest and the related terms, identification and selection of the appropriate setting, data collection, data analysis, identification of exemplar of concept, identification of hypothesis, implications for future development of the concept, and case study analysis. These phases of concept development offer the mechanism for guiding the analysis of the concept of caring in nurse's professional practice. Rodger's evolutionary framework is used in this study as the basic framework for the analysis of the concept of caring due to the fact that this framework offers a base for further research into the concept as the concepts are continuously changing and evolving (Fraser, 2011, p. 10). . Rodger's evolutionary framework is a valid scientific method for carrying out a research on the basic concepts of nursing science. Additionally, the contextual and dynamic nature of this method is parallel with the largely accepted viewpoint in nursing that human beings are every changing entities and they have interactions ...