IDENTIFYING AND MANAGING POTENTIAL DILEMMAS FOR NURSE/ RESEARCHERS: CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE ROLE OF NURSE AND RESEARCHER

Abstract

Parahoo (2006) advises that researchers who are nurses must always ensure that the efforts involved in research, particularly recruiting participants, does not over-ride the patient's needs, wishes and rights. Bearing this statement in mind, some of the ethical issues which occur when the researcher is also a nurse or clinician may be particularly significant when considering the principles of non-maleficience (Beauchamp and Childress, 2009). Rigid application of the principle may cause tensions (Johnson, 2004), particularly in the data collection phase where practice observed or patient 'needs' may precipitate a dilemma between the primary role of researcher, the professional role of nurse (Jack, 2008; Bell and Nutt, 2003) and, rarely referred to in the literature, the personal 'moral compass' of the individual carrying out the research. This discourse will examine and explore some of these issues including power, intervention dilemma and coercion and propose some ways to address these.