Qualitative Critical Appraisal, Attitudes Knowledge and Skills Needed in Mental Health Nursing

I have chosen to critique Rydon’s (2005) article ‘The attitudes, knowledge and skills needed in mental health nurses: The perspective of users of mental health services’ because I am interested in finding out service user’s outlook of mental health nurses. When I qualify as a mental health nurse I would need to acquire the correct attitudes, knowledge and skills as this would make the nursing process more effective, because as McCabe and Timmons (2006) suggest I will be more sensitive to the client’s needs and preferences. Therefore being able to transfer findings to my own practice is highly substantial.
The Author of the article, Sharon E. Rydon, has undertaken this research as a partial fulfilment of a Master’s degree, training to be a researcher. Being a novice to research can present lack of self-awareness. Therefore I would have liked to have seen a pilot study be conducted in this article. Pilot studies are used as part of a research design, to check sampling techniques, to test the validity and reliability of data collection tools and to allow the researcher to practice skills such as interviewing techniques (Hek et al, 1996). Conjointly it would have been helpful to see the decisions taken during the project, the process of reflexivity and her involvement in the research. Watt (2007) states audiences should have the opportunity to see how the researcher goes about the process of knowledge construction during a particular study. This would also determine whether she has insight of how research should be conducted.
The article identified the use of a qualitative descriptive methodology to gather data. According to Burns and Grove (2011) Qualitative research is a systematic, subjective approach used to describe life experiences. It should increase understanding of something that is abstract and unknown by asking for, or looking for specific examples, experiences, or perceptions (Macnee & McCabe,2008), this is an appropriate method used. On the other hand

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