Teachers as researchers: a narrative pedagogical approach to transforming a graduate family and health promotion course.

Scholarship of teaching in nursing is illustrated by describing the development, implementation, evaluation, and revision of a family and health promotion course for graduate family nurse practitioner students. A narrative pedagogical approach that combines conventional pedagogy with action research is used. The work, an example of curriculum as dialogue, illustrates how teachers can incorporate research, evaluation, and reflection into their daily teaching practice. Given adequate support, these evaluation and research activities could constitute part of the scholarship of teaching, and, as such, would warrant allocation of time in faculty workloads and formal acknowledgment in annual performance evaluations and promotion and tenure decisions. The importance of increasing the clinical relevance of the scholarship of teaching in a practice discipline such as nursing is also emphasized.

Intimate partner violence: advanced practice nurses clinical stories of success and challenge.

PURPOSE: This qualitative study presents knowledge from clinical experiences of advanced practice nurses (APNs) working with women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). DATA SOURCES: Face-to-face interviews were conducted with ten APNs to discover their ways of being with, supporting, and helping women who have experienced IPV. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using interpretive phenomenology. Analysis proceeded from whole to parts and back to whole with ongoing attention to maintaining the situational context to guide interpretation of meanings. CONCLUSIONS: APNs experience both challenges and successes in caring for women who live with IPV. Findings consist of interpretations of clinical stories to uncover knowledge embedded in practice. Healing practices and ways of being survival facilitators for women and children are identified and described. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: APNs are in a unique position to help families who live with abuse, but may lack resources and knowledge about the most effective interventions. They may become cynical and frustrated with feelings of futility when faced with the repeating patterns associated with the cycle of violence. The goals of this study are to promote more comprehensive understanding of IPV and stimulate changes in education, practice, research, and health policy.

Grassroots efforts of Japanese women to promote services for abused women.

The purpose of this study was to identify and describe the personal experiences of six Japanese female volunteers who formed a support group to provide services for abused women. The interpretation of the women's stories also increased understanding about the process of forming and developing a grassroots organization to take needed action. The interpretive phenomenological approach guided the study. The findings illustrate that a group of community volunteers can identify and effectively address a significant social issue on their own initiative.

Chieko's story: giving voice to survivors of wife abuse.

Chieko's story relates in narrative form the childhood and early adult experiences of a Japanese woman who is learning to heal and rebuild her life after growing up in a violent home and ending an abusive marriage. This exemplar illustrates major processes and themes that emerged from a cross-cultural qualitative study of family violence. It also portrays universal aspects of this significant and pervasive health and social issue. This in-depth analysis and commentary on one woman's story that could have occurred almost anywhere uncovers hidden aspects contributing to the recidivism of this phenomenon. This story conveys hope for the many women and children who have no voice and for the clinicians who work with them.