This research study draws upon co-constructed data to describe and interpret overweight nurses' experiences of their interactions with overweight patients. Within the limited number of research studies that investigate the worldview of overweight nurses, it is suggested that overweight nurses may have more empathy with overweight patients, who often receive prejudicial and discriminatory care. The objectives of the study, using a qualitative hermeneutical methodology, underpinned by Gadamerian philosophy and a relativist ontological stance, were to describe and interpret the experiences and actions of overweight nurses in their interactions with overweight patients. Seven nurses from various nursing disciplines participated in the study and data were gathered through two semi-structured interviews and note-book keeping. Two key themes were derived from the data: firstly, how the nurses developed their understandings of being overweight and secondly, how they acted upon their understandings in the interaction with their overweight patient. The nurses developed their self and Other understandings of being overweight through personal experience. They acted upon their understandings and managed their self in the interaction with their overweight patient by managing their guilt, dissonance and personal prejudices. They managed their sensitive conversations with their overweight patient by developing embodied empathy. This study has generated new knowledge by proposing that the overweight nurses within this study combine: Other understanding; Self understanding; Acknowledging-thenmanaging prejudice; and Being-with: holistic interacting within their interactions with their overweight patients, which is defined as the new and original concept of embodied empathy-in-action.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:523434 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | McGreevy, Deborah |
| Contributors | Aranda, Kay |
| Publisher | University of Brighton |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://research.brighton.ac.uk/en/studentTheses/cc9a4be4-d009-4443-aabe-3b9738c1e324 |
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