Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/1893/2377
Appears in Collections:Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport Journal Articles
Peer Review Status: Refereed
Title: Ensnared by positivity: a constructivist perspective on 'being positive' in cancer care
Author(s): McCreaddie, May
Payne, Sheila
Froggatt, Katherine
Contact Email: may.mccreaddie@stir.ac.uk
Keywords: Positive
Constructivist
Grounded Theory
interactions
Self-realization
Expectation (Psychology)
Nursing diagnosis Case studies
Issue Date: Sep-2010
Date Deposited: 19-Jul-2010
Citation: McCreaddie M, Payne S & Froggatt K (2010) Ensnared by positivity: a constructivist perspective on 'being positive' in cancer care. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 14 (4), pp. 283-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2010.03.002
Abstract: Background The concept of ‘positive thinking’ emerged in cancer care in the 1990s. The usefulness of this approach in cancer care is under increasing scrutiny with existing research, definitions and approaches debated. Nurses may wish to judiciously examine the debate in context and consider its relevance in relation to their experience and clinical practice. Purpose To offer a constructivist perspective on ‘being positive’ we extract data from a constructivist grounded theory study on humour in healthcare interactions in order to identify implications for practice and future research. Methods We present three areas for consideration. First, we review the emergence of this concept in the broader context of health care generally and cancer care specifically. Second, we present data from a grounded theory study on humour in healthcare interactions to highlight the prevalence of this aspect of cancer care and its contested domains. We conclude with implications for practice and research. Findings Patients actively seek meaningful and therapeutic interactions with healthcare staff and ‘being positive’ may be part of that process. Being positive has multiple meanings at different time-points for different people at different stages of their cancer journey. Patients may become ensnared by positivity through its uncritical acceptance and enactment. Conclusion Positive thinking does not exist in isolation but as part of a complex, dynamic, multi-faceted patient persona enacted to varying degrees in situated healthcare interactions. Nurses need to be aware of the potential multiplicity of meanings in interactions and be able (and willing) to respond appropriately.
DOI Link: 10.1016/j.ejon.2010.03.002
Rights: The publisher does not allow this work to be made publicly available in this Repository. Please use the Request a Copy feature at the foot of the Repository record to request a copy directly from the author; you can only request a copy if you wish to use this work for your own research or private study.
Licence URL(s): http://www.rioxx.net/licenses/under-embargo-all-rights-reserved

Files in This Item:
File Description SizeFormat 
McCreaddie Payne and Froggatt 2010.pdfFulltext - Published Version1.03 MBAdobe PDFUnder Permanent Embargo    Request a copy

Note: If any of the files in this item are currently embargoed, you can request a copy directly from the author by clicking the padlock icon above. However, this facility is dependent on the depositor still being contactable at their original email address.



This item is protected by original copyright



Items in the Repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.

The metadata of the records in the Repository are available under the CC0 public domain dedication: No Rights Reserved https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

If you believe that any material held in STORRE infringes copyright, please contact library@stir.ac.uk providing details and we will remove the Work from public display in STORRE and investigate your claim.