The Application of Schneider’s Critical Discourse Analysis Framework for a Study of Spirituality in Nursing

Abstract

Using a critical discourse analysis approach in analyzing data is useful in exploring meanings and the wider social, political, and historical context of the meanings. However, analyzing data using a critical discourse analysis approach can be difficult and complex. Hence there is a need for well-defined explicit approaches for discourse analysts to follow. The aim of this paper was to explore a clearly explained framework as a method for data analysis in a study investigating spirituality in nursing. Schneider’s method provided the researcher with such a clearly structured framework underpinned by critical discourse analysis that was used in the analysis of a series of interviews conducted with Australian registered nurses involved in the development of practice standards and those applying them in clinical practice. Schneider’s work steps provided a means of applying Fairclough’s and Chilton’s approaches to critical discourse analysis in a systematic and efficient manner to the analysis of the interview texts. The application of this method enabled the generation of findings that revealed the participants’ discursive constructions of spirituality.