Searching one’s self: the autoethnography of a nurse teacher

Abstract

Abstract This paper gives an example of the autoethnographic approach to research by examining the life of the author. The account considers her creative identity as a female nurse and life long learner from a white, middle class Northern Irish background. Autoethnography is a relatively new, and controversial, area of research. This paper evaluates the validity of the method with reference to nursing and nurse education. It concludes that autoethnography is a useful research tool, which provides personal insights, which can provide meaning to others. This is particularly true when creative methods of expression are harnessed.