Nursing Science Quarterly

The author in this article explores seven day-to-day living experiences that expand understanding of the humanbecoming concept of fortifying wisdom. Poetry is used to enhance understanding of the seven living experiences of (a) the use of words, (b) the experience of the body, (c) love, (d) compassion, (e) faith, (f) hope, and (g) forgiveness.

A brief consideration of the concepts of vulnerability and resilience are presented in this column. It will serve as an introduction to the main article that considers conducting qualitative research on vulnerable populations during the time of COVID-19.

With COVID-19 affecting all types of research, the authors of this article contribute to the discussions on how COVID-19 affects the world of qualitative nursing research in irrefutable ways. Underrepresented and vulnerable populations are faced with higher rates and severity of COVID-19, heightening the need to better address their health needs, which require their voices to be heard. Moreover, nurses’ perspectives on practicing during COVID-19 are needed. These nurses are vulnerable and their voices must be heard. Qualitative research methodology is advantageous to bringing attention to the lived experience of others as they unfold. Thus, we offer suggestions to aid in the collection and interpretation of qualitative data among vulnerable populations. We also provide practical tips for qualitative researchers, including an exemplar of conducting qualitative research among vulnerable nurses in light of COVID-19.

Human presence with others is vital in the healthcare experience for those who are giving and receiving services, especially during the upheaval unfolding concurrently with a pandemic. The author wishes to explore the notion of telepresence, uniquely defined as a potential living quality priority for those experiencing hospitalization and/or isolation from others. The ethical implications will be undergirded utilizing the humanbecoming enduring truths of reverence, betrayal, awe, and shame.

As social distancing seems to have become the new normal in the ongoing struggle to prevent the spread of COVID-19, this column focuses on the challenge of presence in the teaching-learning endeavor that often is lived in virtual settings. When presence is defined as being in the same place at the same time as another, suggesting that presence is essential to teaching-learning would certainly run counter to the recommended practice of social distancing. However, the question must be asked if it is essential for the teacher and learner to be in a particular place at the same moment for presence in teaching-learning to be known. Clarity of the meaning of presence in the teaching-learning endeavor is pursued through considering insights gained from the movie Patch Adams. Further, insights from the humanbecoming paradigm are explored to provide new ways of moving onward in teaching-learning.

The article that follows provides insight when applying the literature on cybernetic communications and integrating goal-centered nursing care. This introductory piece provides an element of forethought by considering the phenomenon of attentive presence. The critical point emphasized in both commentaries is the significance of working together with the ebb and flow of connections and collaborations within the healthcare context.

In nursing homes, due to time constraints, lack of communication can influence the quality of information exchanged, which influences the outcomes of healthcare for residents. Nurses’ proximity to the nursing home resident, their knowledge, and skill serve as an opportunity to communicate and facilitate patient-centered goals and improve treatment decision-making. Concepts within the cybernetic communication literature entail systemic interactive relationships that enable the sharing of knowledge and expertise. These interactions are based on nursing’s theoretical knowledge, clinical judgment, and empowerment and are based on patient-centered goals.

This is a dialogue between two PhD nurses who have served as chief nursing officers; one is now in academia wondering about current scholarly endeavors in practice. Topics addressed include working relationships at the executive level, the chief nursing officer that is PhD prepared, theory in practice, scrambling to honor nursing’s pact with society during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some recommendations for academia.

In this article, I revisit a philosophical idea from Intermodernism about generating knowledge through nursing practice and examine how this may enhance the epistemic dignity of knowledge. Epistemic dignity is an evaluation of knowledge (formalized in theories) as possessing quality and worth as scientific knowledge and as held in esteem by a disciplinary community and others. The philosophical turn toward the practice of science is discussed along with contemporary work on theoretical virtues as qualities of scientific theory. In addition, I suggest that what we may refer to as uniquely nursing knowledge is knowledge that is generated through nursing practice and ground in disciplinary perspective.

The Neuman Systems Model was developed to create a structure to depict nursing clients as complex systems, in constant energy exchange with their environments, comprised of multiple interrelated parts. It has been widely used in practice, education, research, and administration. An analysis of the theory, based upon Meleis’ methods, was conducted. The theory has high utility and a large circle of contagiousness despite its complexity, lack of teleology, and level of abstractness. Based upon this analysis, a new model entitled the Neuman Systems Model Perspective of Nurse-Led Interprofessional Collaborative Practice has been created to provide a framework for the care of community-dwelling older adults. As a first step in its development, this new model will be used to guide a mixed-methods study evaluating an interprofessional collaborative practice intervention for community-dwelling older adults.

The purpose of this paper is to illuminate and elaborate the inherent core knowings of living quality. The core knowings are fortifying wisdom, discerning witness, and penetrating silence. In deep contemplation with the core knowings, essences and paradoxes surfaced for the author enhancing understanding of living quality. The essences and paradoxes are specified here.

Mental illness is an epidemic in the United States, and there is a gap in care due to minimal integrated programs and transitional community resources. This paper reports the development of a conceptual framework to identify challenges facing families living with mental illness and the integral role nursing plays to positively impact health. An inductive, bottom-up approach was used to develop the Nursing Science, Mental Illness and Family model. Concepts clustered around family health, cycle of suffering, improving outcomes, healthcare policy, and nursing science. Successful, goal-directed interprofessional collaborations are essential for individual-, family-, and system-level interventions to be effective.

This concept analysis is to expand knowledge about quality of life within the Roy adaptation model. The Walker and Avant concept analysis methodology is utilized. The perception of life events influences quality of life, and quality of life influences decision-making and actions. Balance, self-esteem, and satisfaction are essentials of quality of life. The authors in this concept analysis provide a basis for further research studies measuring quality of life using the theoretical basis of the Roy adaptation model.

The aim of this work was to gain understanding, using the self-transcendence theory, of the perspective of the alcoholic patient. This was a qualitative study using the grounded theory method. Eight semistructured interviews were conducted with alcohol-dependent individuals. Eleven categories emerged that allowed for understanding the process of becoming alcohol dependent to later seeking help and maintaining abstinence through the intervention program developed by Alcoholics Anonymous.

The purpose of this article is to report the details of the humanbecoming hermeneutic sciencing of presence in In Harm’s Way. Humanbecoming hermeneutic sciencing is dialoguing with an artform by discoursing with penetrating engaging, interpreting with quiescent beholding, and understanding with inspiring envisaging. The artform explored in this article is the comments and images of 60 nurses from around the world included in The New York Times story titled “In Harm’s Way.” The report is on the meaning of presence as lived and talked about by nurses on the front lines at the peak of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Nursing knowledge is housed in its paradigms, philosophies, models, and theories. This knowledge must be utilized to demark nursing’s unique contributions within healthcare, regardless of the setting. The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which Parse’s community model may serve as a way to think about health policies and the unique ways policies may connect to nursing knowledge. Within this paper, there is a discussion about health policy, Parse’s humanbecoming paradigm, and policy development reflected upon with change concepts within the humanbecoming community model. This exploration is important because “disciplinary knowledge is the foundation for transforming health policy and health care delivery systems” (American Academy of Nursing, 2020, para. 1).

The purpose of this essay is to present a discussion of various perspectives of power. The essay includes dictionary definitions of power and descriptions of power within the context of a nursing conceptual model, nursing theories of power, and medicalization of patient care. Noteworthy is that some perspectives highlight the contrast between a negative, control-based approach and a positive approach that rejects control of or over anyone.

The author in this article provides a review and introduction to Marlaine C. Smith’s fifth edition of Nursing Theories and Practice. Additionally, the author explores the notions of theory and middle-range theory within the discipline of nursing.

The author in this article provides a book review of Marlaine C. Smith’s 5th edition of Nursing Theories and Practice.