Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to uncover the meaning of the lived experience of choosing life goals. Seven married women, nurse administrators between the ages of 27-37, employed in middle management positions in two large metropolitan hospitals, were asked to provide a written description of a situation in which they found themselves choosing life goals. Giorgi's (1975) qualitative method of phenomenology was used to analyze the written descriptions. The major finding of this study was choosing life goals is struggling to fulfill competing ambitions while experiencing paradoxical feelings of calmness-turmoil, success-defeat, and security-insecurity in the process of affirming cherished beliefs. Findings from this study support the value of the phenomenological method for nursing research and enhance the knowledge base of nursing by expanding Parse's theory of human becoming. Findings reveal the importance of understanding more fully the processes of choosing life goals and how choices reflect health.

Keywords

Life Goals Parse's Theory Phenomenological Research

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Baruch, G. , Barnett, R. , & Rivers, C. (1983). Life prints. New York: McGraw Hill.

Belenky, M. , Clinchy, B. , Goldberger, N. , & Tarule, J. (1986). Women's ways of knowing. New York: Basic Books.

Giorgi, A. (1975). An application of phenomenological method in psychology. In A. Giorgi , C. Fischer , & E. Murray (Eds.), Duquesne studies in phenomenological psychology (Vol. 11, pp. 82-103). Pittsburgh, PA: Duquesne University Press.

Keen, E. (1975). A primer of phenomenological psychology. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

MacPherson, K.I. (1983). Feminist methods: A paradigm for nursing research. Advances in Nursing Science, 5(2), 17-24.

Marcel, G. (1956). The philosophy of existentialism. Secaucus, NJ: Citadel.

McBride, A.B. (1985). Orchestrating a career. Nursing Outlook, 33(5), 244-247.

Munhall, P. , & Oiler, L. (1986). Nursing research: A qualitative perspective. Norwalk, CT: Appleton-Century-Crofts.

Parse, R.R. (1981). Man-living-health: A theory of nursing. New York: John Wiley.

10.

Parse, R.R. (1987). Nursing science: Major paradigms, theories and critiques. Philadelphia: Saunders.

11.

Parse, R.R. (1990). Health: A personal commitment Nursing Science Quarterly, 3, 136-140.

12.

Parse, R.R. (1992). Human becoming: Parse's theory of nursing. Nursing Science Quarterly, 5, 35-42.

13.

Parse, R.R. , Coyne, A.B. , & Smith, M.J. (1985). Nursing research: Qualitative methods. Bowie, MD: Brady.

Choosing Life Goals: A Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References