My selected phenomenon of interest (POI) is the rise in maternal mortality rates amongst minority women. Health issues disproportionally affect minorities, and in maternal care, racial and ethnic disparities cause an exponential increase in mortality rates. According to Oribhabor et al. (2020), resolving the issue requires reducing racial/ethnic inequalities, improving access to maternity care, and additional multi-ethnic education for healthcare providers. Nurse practitioners, including family nurse practitioners, present a significant workforce that can be utilized to improve access to health among minority women. Therefore, the phenomenon of interest is very important for my advanced practice specialty.
Philosophical Influences
Addressing the problem of racial and ethical disparities presents a complex task that includes research in several fields, such as history, politics, and cultural barriers. The application of Analytic philosophy, which prioritizes arguments and clarity in this case, can impose limitations on research in the form of standards, affecting the open-mindedness of discussion (Flikschuh, 2018). On the other hand, the Continental philosophy viewpoint provides a wide range of techniques and perceptions of critical thought, which allows consideration of more complex problems such as racial and ethnic diversity (Laurie et al., 2019). Thus, in approaching the POI, I prefer utilizing the Continental philosophy and its viewpoint because it allows me to view the POI as an intersection of systematic issues rather than one specific problem.
Ethical Framework
The ethical framework that will guide my decision-making in the role of advanced nursing practice is the ICN Code of Ethics for Nurses. The code features valuable information about racial disparities in the healthcare system and requires nurses to avoid prejudice and provide culturally appropriate care to all patients. Two ethical principles can be associated with my chosen ethical framework. The first principle of social justice requires nursing professionals to equally respect all patients and prioritize fair distribution of care (Papastavrou et al., 2019). The second principle is beneficence which encourages nurses to treat patients with kindness and compassion by eliminating implicit bias (Jambawo, 2018). Thus, the application of the ethical principles of beneficence and social justice to the issue in the phenomenon of interest can significantly improve the situation.
Theoretical Influences
Transcultural nursing is the Grand Nursing Theory I selected for my framework. Initially conceptualized in the 1950s by Madeleine Leininger, the theory centers on the concepts of culture, nursing, and environment (Im & Lee, 2018). The Grand Nursing Theory and its modern interpretations can provide significant guidance in viewing the POI. Furthermore, the Middle Range theory I chose for the ethical framework is the Theory of Bureaucratic Caring. The theory focuses on care in the setting of bureaucratic structure, which allows examination of political influences and advocacy for better patient health outcomes (Maykut & Rubuliak, 2022). The complex adaptive systems (CAS) related to my POI are healthcare organizations. Healthcare organization as a complex adaptive system presents a combination of different healthcare teams and individual team members (Pype et al., 2018). Thus, addressing the issue of POI on the scale of healthcare organizations requires a gradual transformation of the complex adaptive system.
Praxis Framework
Identifying the phenomenon of interest and theories that influence my role as an advanced practitioner allowed me to create a framework for my praxis. Praxis Framework is critical for advanced practice because it provides guidance and a foundation for integrating knowledge into an action plan. My praxis framework presents an intersection of philosophical, ethical, and theoretical influences. In particular, my future praxis framework focuses on advocacy for the protection of the interest of minority women, equal respect for all patients, and fair distribution of care.
References
Flikschuh, K. (2018). Philosophical racism. Aristotelian Society Supplementary Volume, 92(1), 91-110. Web.
Im, E. O., & Lee, Y. (2018). Transcultural nursing: Current trends in theoretical works. Asian Nursing Research, 12(3), 157-165. Web.
Jambawo, S. (2018). Transformational leadership and ethical leadership: Their significance in the mental healthcare system. British Journal of Nursing, 27(17), 998-1001. Web.
Laurie, T., Stark, H., & Walker, B. (2019). Critical approaches to continental philosophy: Intellectual community, disciplinary identity, and the politics of inclusion. Parrhesia: A Journal of Critical Philosophy, 30, 1-17. Web.
Maykut, C., & Rubuliak, A. (2022). Situated knowingness of caring and bureaucracy: A student’s growth. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 15(1), 644-649. Web.
Oribhabor, G. I., Nelson, M. L., Buchanan-Peart, K. R., & Cancarevic, I. (2020) A mother’s cry: A race to eliminate the influence of racial disparities on maternal morbidity and mortality rates among black women in America. Cureus, 12(7), 1-4. Web.
Papastavrou, E., Igoumenidis, M., & Lemonidou, C. (2019). Equality as an ethical concept within the context of nursing care rationing. Nursing Philosophy, 21(1), 1-7. Web.
Pype, P., Mertens, F., Helewaut, F., & Krystallidou, D. (2018). Healthcare teams as complex adaptive systems: understanding team behaviour through team members’ perception of interpersonal interaction. BMC Health Services Research, 18, 1-13. Web.