Concept Analysis: Theory, Practice, and Method

Concept analyses (CA) are performed so that clearer and more focused understandings of key ideas in nursing can be achieved. It is anticipated that these improved understandings can beneficially inform practice and research, and this form of analysis has, and will continue to play, a significant role in the nursing literature. CA is not, however, one thing. New approaches and perspectives on this activity are emerging, and while numerous examples of CA are published, debate about the nature, methods, and value of this work is growing. Capitalising on this interest, Elisabeth Bergdahl, Beth Epstein, Georgina Morley, and John Paley here critically explore and discuss different aspects of CA’s past, present, and future. This panel discussion/debate will be of interest to students, educators, researchers and clinicians who read, make use of, and construct CA.