Nursing Science Quarterly

Diverging philosophic worldviews of energy are revisited. The idea of energy as one phenomenon that is responsible for all things is contrasted with that of the mechanistic view of energy as part of causal processes. The idea of energy implied by Rogers' conceptual model is revisited in an attempt to lend clarity to the concept of energy as it is used in nursing science, especially from the perspective of the simultaneity paradigm.

This column presents an overview of Rogerian nursing science-based research. In Rogers' own words, she fostered the development of nursing science with a diversity of methods. She encouraged both qualitative and quantitative approaches and the development of new research methods and tools. Her only caveat was that theoretical conceptualization and research method must match.

The purpose of this column is to review the published studies conducted within Rogers' science of unitary human beings from 2004 to 2007. The findings from a critical review of 24 research studies (15 quantitative and 9 qualitative) are presented.

The concept of accountability is a concept closely aligned with public trust and confidence with a healthcare discipline. It is of vital importance to the discipline of nursing to define and examine the obligations and duties of professional nurse. The term is referred to and often defined through international and national professional codes of nursing and in standards of nursing practice documents. This column will begin exploration of the concept with offering a definition from a humanbecoming perspective.

The following column explores the use of literature and the visual arts in the teaching-learning process. The use of narrative and art can be an energizing, imaginative, and productive way of coming to know new truths.

This column describes the use of selected literature and art to foster dialogue in a doctoral course in nursing surrounding issues involving healthcare ethics. Literature provides concentrated slices of reality which pose questions requiring deep reflection about human frailty, suffering, and death. Works of art nurture students' creative thinking and critical judgment and provide a vehicle to describe extraordinary vulnerable situations where nurses are engaged with others.

Parse described nursing practice as a performing art where the nurse is like a dancer. Just as in any dance performance, unplanned events may occur. When a nurse is artistically living, unique and meaningful performances might emerge from unplanned events. In this practice column, the author describes how shifting experiences surfaced with unforeseen connections and lingering presence during her study of feeling confined. In her study she was in true presence with men living in prison, who were diagnosed with severe mental illness. The humanbecoming school of thought was the nursing perspective guiding the research study.

This column addresses the idea of practitioner as theorist as it may inspire new paths of theory development in practice for nursing. Historical and philosophical dimensions of theory development are discussed. Extant theory development strategies as well as new approaches for practice-based theory development are proposed.

This article is the report of the humanbecoming hermeneutic method study on The Wizard of Oz (the book, the screenpla and the motion picture). The study unfolded in part as a dialogue between the delegates of the International Consortium Parse Scholars' November 2006 conference, Humanbecoming and Children's Literature, answering the question What wisdom, compassion, and courage as humanly lived? Emergent meanings were uncovered that enhanced knowledge an understanding of wisdom, compassion, and courage in general and expanded the humanbecoming school of thought.

The purpose of this study was recognition of a unitary pattern emergent within the lives of women transitioning through menopause. This research as praxis method study included 10 women transitioning through menopause. The findings showed that participants recognized unitary pattern within their unique life patterns. Unitary pattern also emerged through three themes which were coming to terms with losses and unexpected gains, increasing awareness of time passing, and concentrating on health and vitality. The findings were connected to the theory of health as expanding consciousness, thereby contributing to nursing knowledge, expanding the theory, and enhancing understanding of unitary pattern.

In this article the author reports details of a Parse research study on the lived experience of having faith with 10 participants living in community. The central finding of this study is the structure: The lived experience of having faith is discerning conviction with perpetual alliances arising with fortitude amid adversity . The findings are discussed in relation to the human becoming school of thought and related literature.

The purpose of this secondary analysis is to identify and critique the instruments most frequently used to measure concepts of the Roy adaptation model. Of the 123 instruments used in 231 studies over 30 years, 20 instruments met the criteria for secondary analysis. Based on established criteria, 14 were judged to have high usefulness, three have moderate usefulness, one has limited usefulness, and two are not recommended for use with the model. Recommendations include locating and developing instruments in key content areas including adaptation in groups, and particularly developing measurement strategies consistent with the philosophical assumptions of the model and multiple ways of knowing.

The classical Chinese philosophy of Confucius is here reconsidered in light of the current challenge of sustaining loving relationships not only in words but in actions, and providing a life worth living for frail older adults. The Ox Mountain Parable of Meng Tzu (Mencius) is described and linked to the nursing home reform movement known as “The Eden Alternative.” Implications for nursing are considered.

Confucianism is one of the frequently mentioned social factors in the research of care for the older adults in East Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, Japan, and Korea. Although Confucian philosophy functions as a powerful source of reference for care, the context of care in Confucian texts is not yet largely studied in nursing. This column focuses on the meaning of care in two key Confucian texts, the Analects and Mencius. The context of care in Confucian texts should provide a sound foundation and substantial understanding for researchers studying care in East Asian society.

The purpose of this paper is to set forth a humanbecoming leading-following model that challenges the traditional notion of leadership. The model is a guide to living leading-following with a focus on human dignity and freedom where power is with the constituents of situations.