Sharing stories - Narrative and dialogue in responsive nursing evaluation

Responsive evaluation is an emerging vision and rationale for nursing evaluation. In this vision, evaluation is redefined as an engagement with all stakeholders about the value and meaning of their practice as a vehicle for learning, understanding, and improvement. In this article, the authors aim to illustrate the utility of a particular version of responsive evaluation, one that is connected with recent ideas about narrative and dialogue. They concentrate on methodological issues and use a case example to illustrate these issues. The case concerns a responsive evaluation of the quality of palliative care for cancer patients in a Dutch region. Methodological issues include the collection of stories through the use of conversational interviews. Stories can reveal the meaning and ambiguity of everyday situations. If evaluators listen to different stories and facilitate a dialogue about stories, this will enhance mutual understandings and promote respect, inclusiveness, and social equity.