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Extending the boundaries: Autoethnography as an emergent method in mental health nursing research
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Extending the boundaries: Autoethnography as an emergent method in mental health nursing research

K Foster, Margaret McAllister and L O'Brien
International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, Vol.15(1), pp.44-53
2006
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0349.2006.00402.x
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https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0349.2006.00402.xView
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Abstract

Nursing autobiography autoethnography mental health nursing qualitative inquiry self as research tool
An exploration of the 'self' is generally considered a fundamental and necessary place from which to commence practice as a mental health nurse. Self-awareness and attention to one's own feelings, thoughts, and experiences can contribute to the therapeutic use of self in effective provision of mental health nursing care. This purposeful use of self, inherent in the role of the mental health nurse, may also be seen as synchronous to the role of the qualitative researcher who seeks to uncover the meaning of others' experiences. Autoethnography is a qualitative research method that connects the researcher's personal self to the broader cultural context. Evocative writing, where the writer shares personal stories on their experiences, is used to extend understanding of a particular social issue. This paper will argue how this emerging method in social science research is of particular relevance to mental health nursing research and practice.

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Domestic collaboration
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Nursing
Psychiatry
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