This phenomenological study describes the experiences of twelve registered nurses who have nursed a dying or dead patient. These registered nurses come from a variety of backgrounds, not only personally, but also educationally and socially. The study primarily focuses on these registered nurses' most significant experience with death in a professional capacity. Twelve registered nurses were invited to share their stories by means of taped interviews and/or written narrative which attempted to discover the underlying meaning of their experiences. However, in relating their stories, many of the registered nurses wished to describe other death experiences which were of significance for them. The study is grounded in Heideggerian phenomenology and analysis of the transcripts revealed the emerging essences of connectedness, aloneness, questioning and accepting. The study further reveals that these essences align themselves to the four fundamental existentials of spatiality, corporeality, temporality and relationality as described by Merleau-Ponty (1962). Additionally, these essences are related back to the principles of Parse's (1987) theory of Human-Becoming and provide some insights for nursing practice when caring for the dying or the dead patient. Some discussion on how these insights may be related to contemporary nursing practice in Australia is highlighted. Each participant's transcript is followed by a poem which intends to capture the essence of their relationship with the situation(s) they have shared with the author. / Master of Science (Hons) (Social Ecology)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/189186 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Chapman, Ysanne Beatrice, University of Western Sydney, Faculty of Health, Humanities and Social Ecology, School of Social Ecology |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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