Living With Ambiguity: A Gift and a Challenge for Teaching-Learning

Abstract

In reflecting on the personal experience of moving beyond life as a nurse academician, the author explored the phenomenon of living with ambiguity in the teaching-learning endeavor. From the stories of new graduates of baccalaureate nursing programs, comfort-discomfort, sureness-unsureness, and confirming-not confirming arose as paradoxical rhythms of the experience of living with ambiguity. Acknowledging the challenge of creating sacred space in the contemporary nursing curriculum for living with ambiguity and not knowing, the author provided insights into the importance of creating a safe, sacred space with trusted faculty mentors to allow students to begin a journey where discovery and inquiry are valued in their process of becoming competent professional nurses on a never-ending journey of coming to know.

Keywords

humanbecoming living with ambiguity nursing teaching-learning

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