Reflections on Nursing Research, Paradigms and Perspective
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Gemelin B. Celiz, RN, MSN
On paradigms and perspectives in the conduct of nursing research
I never thought of myself other than being a positivist. Throughout my growing years, acquisition of knowledge was based on acceptance of what is seen and taught. I have accepted that facts are facts because they have undergone study and scrutiny and published, therefore, are believable and usable. My learning methodologies were listening, memorizing, storing and remembering concepts that have been transmitted through the years. This was the way to do it, therefore, this is the way I should learn it. Yet, I have a problem with understanding. Somehow, my intellect just would not accept that I memorize, store, and remember. I have to understand and if I don’t understand an idea, it becomes a difficult concept, one that I would rather not learn at all. This became all the more obvious when I went through Quantitative Research. I simply do not understand the concepts underlying the process of Quantitative Research. It seems easy enough in theory, but once the paper has to be started, somehow, I get nowhere.