title: Working with stories in nursing research: procedures used in narrative analysis.
abstract: This paper describes the procedures undertaken in a qualitative study that used nurses' stories to examine the influence of Gestalt therapy training on the professional practice of psychiatric nurses. The paper places narrative research methodologies within a nursing context before introducing narrative inquiry, specifically narrative analysis methodology. Procedures used in the study are subsequently described in sufficient detail to serve as a guide for novice researchers interested in undertaking a narrative analysis study. An exemplar of a storied outcome is provided to evidence the product of the narrative analysis research process. The paper concludes with reflections on the importance of articulating the process of narrative analysis as a means of developing interest and competence in narrative research, and using nurses' stories as a means of exploring, understanding, and communicating nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. teresa.kelly@mh.org.au
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Linsey
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Howie
mesh_terms: D005864:Gestalt Therapy; D006801:Humans; D033262:Narration; D015399:Nursing Research; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000379:methods*