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Karen Francis

Bio: Karen Francis is an academic researcher from University of Tasmania. The author has contributed to research in topics: Health care & Grounded theory. The author has an hindex of 35, co-authored 212 publications receiving 7482 citations. Previous affiliations of Karen Francis include University of Adelaide & Australian Catholic University.


Papers
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Some issues encountered when recruiting participants for a phenomenological research project on the lived experiences of young people aged 16–24 years, with type 1 diabetes living in a rural setting are presented.
Abstract: An essential element of human research is the successful recruitment of participants. Many researchers appear to be able to recruit participants quickly and without significant issues, while other researchers have more challenges. This paper presents some issues encountered when recruiting participants for a phenomenological research project on the lived experiences of young people aged 16–24 years, with type 1 diabetes living in a rural setting. Insights and strategies are presented to assist researchers when recruiting young people to their research.

15 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Insight is provided into the complexity of the N assimilation system throughout development and candidate regulatory genes, which warrant further investigation in efforts to improve NUE in crop plants are identified.
Abstract: We found metabolites, enzyme activities and enzyme transcript abundances vary significantly across the maize lifecycle, but weak correlation exists between the three groups. We identified putative genes regulating nitrate assimilation. Progress in improving nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) of crop plants has been hampered by the complexity of the N uptake and utilisation systems. To understand this complexity we measured the activities of seven enzymes and ten metabolites related to N metabolism in the leaf and root tissues of Gaspe Flint maize plants grown in 0.5 or 2.5 mM NO3 − throughout the lifecycle. The amino acids had remarkably similar profiles across the lifecycle except for transient responses, which only appeared in the leaves for aspartate or in the roots for asparagine, serine and glycine. The activities of the enzymes for N assimilation were also coordinated to a certain degree, most noticeably with a peak in root activity late in the lifecycle, but with wide variation in the activity levels over the course of development. We analysed the transcriptional data for gene sets encoding the measured enzymes and found that, unlike the enzyme activities, transcript levels of the corresponding genes did not exhibit the same coordination across the lifecycle and were only weakly correlated with the levels of various amino acids or individual enzyme activities. We identified gene sets which were correlated with the enzyme activity profiles, including seven genes located within previously known quantitative trait loci for enzyme activities and hypothesise that these genes are important for the regulation of enzyme activities. This work provides insights into the complexity of the N assimilation system throughout development and identifies candidate regulatory genes, which warrant further investigation in efforts to improve NUE in crop plants.

15 citations

01 Jan 2006
TL;DR: In this paper, the origins and evolution of grounded theory were discussed from Glaserian, Strassian and Constructivists perspectives, and the methodological principles and procedures that characterise grounded theory within the confines of these evolutionary influences.
Abstract: Grounded theory has the potential to inform nursing knowledge, education and practice through an interpretive rendering of theory that facilitates an understanding of phenomena in the context in which it exists. In order to harness this potential to fullest effect, nurse researchers are challenged to possess significant undersanding of grounded theory, enabling them to contribute to its continued development as a methodology of consequence for knowledge generation in and of nursing practice. In part one of this series, the origins and evolution of grounded theory were discussed from Glaserian, Strassian and Constructivists perspectives. This second article maps the methodological principles and procedures that characterise grounded theory within the confines of these evolutionary influences.

15 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Unified consumer influence advocating a move away from obstetric -led maternity care for all pregnant women appears to be synergistic with the ethos of corporate governance and a neoliberal approach to maternity service policy.
Abstract: Background In 2009 the Australian government announced a major program of reform with the move to primary maternity care. The reform agenda represents a dramatic change to maternity care provision in a society that has embraced technology across all aspects of life including childbirth.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Poor resources and educational preparation, a limited nursing skill mix and access to professional development, lack of nursing leadership and role models, cultural beliefs and geographic isolation are factors that reduced the capacity of the primary care nurses to raise awareness and, therefore, influence the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.
Abstract: The role of nurses in raising community awareness about HIV/AIDS is well-reported. However, little is known about the practice of Jordanian nurses and the role they play in the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS. This interpretive ethnographic study sought to illuminate the role of primary care nurses and examine the influence of HIV/AIDS on their practice. The study was undertaken in Jordan in three rural and three urban primary health-care centres. Data collection included participant observation, key informant interviews and document analysis. These data informed the development of descriptive ethnographic accounts that allowed for the subsequent identification of common and divergent themes reflective of factors recognized as influencing the practice of the nurse participants. The findings indicate that the rhetoric offered by all levels of administration and endorsed in policy is not reflective of the reality of practice. Poor resources and educational preparation, a limited nursing skill mix and access to professional development, lack of nursing leadership and role models, cultural beliefs and geographic isolation are factors that reduced the capacity of the primary care nurses to raise awareness and, therefore, influence the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS.

14 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Reading a book as this basics of qualitative research grounded theory procedures and techniques and other references can enrich your life quality.

13,415 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The nature and forms of documents are described, the advantages and limitations of document analysis are outlined, and specific examples of the use of documents in the research process are offered.
Abstract: This article examines the function of documents as a data source in qualitative research and discusses document analysis procedure in the context of actual research experiences. Targeted to research novices, the article takes a nuts‐and‐bolts approach to document analysis. It describes the nature and forms of documents, outlines the advantages and limitations of document analysis, and offers specific examples of the use of documents in the research process. The application of document analysis to a grounded theory study is illustrated.

6,333 citations

Book ChapterDOI
01 Sep 1989
TL;DR: We may not be able to make you love reading, but archaeology of knowledge will lead you to love reading starting from now as mentioned in this paper, and book is the window to open the new world.
Abstract: We may not be able to make you love reading, but archaeology of knowledge will lead you to love reading starting from now. Book is the window to open the new world. The world that you want is in the better stage and level. World will always guide you to even the prestige stage of the life. You know, this is some of how reading will give you the kindness. In this case, more books you read more knowledge you know, but it can mean also the bore is full.

5,075 citations

Journal ArticleDOI

3,181 citations