title: The importance of critical theory to nursing: a description using research concerning discharge decision-making.
abstract: Critical theory has emerged as an important research orientation for nursing. It provides for new and broader research questions and offers the potential to extend the knowledge base of nursing. In this paper I describe some applications of Jurgen Habermas's critical theory (1984, 1987) to nursing, using the example of my recently completed doctoral research (Wells, 1994). The theory was employed as a broad perspective for the study in which I investigated the process of decision-making concerning the discharge of elderly patients from the hospital. When data from 31 patient cases were analyzed, the process was found to be determined largely by systemic forces. Habermas's theory was key in understanding the structure of the process as a means-ends, or instrumental one, and in generating ideas for change in the conceptualization of the process of discharge decision making. Critical theory can advance nursing's understanding of the social organization of everyday practice situations and whether and how they might be reorganized.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Wells
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009736:Nursing Process; D009742:Nursing Theory; D010351:Patient Discharge