Person–environment fit.

Abstract

W e begin this chapter on person-environment (P-E) fit with a case presentation that demonstrates the meaning and practice of the theories we discuss. THE CASE OF NICOLENicole is a 42-year-old White woman living in the southwest United States. 1 She seeks career counseling because she is struggling to determine whether she should change careers from nursing. Nicole went to nursing school right after her high school graduation. She wanted to help others and liked her science courses in high school. Her original goal was to have a job that she could easily blend with her strong desire to stay home with children. After college, she married and had two children in 5 years. After her children were in school full-time, she began to look for work as a nurse and took a third shift position so she could be home when her children came home from school. Although she did not get to interact much with her patients, she liked the camaraderie of the regular group of nurses working third shift. She also appreciated the quiet time in the hospital, and she enjoyed the opportunity to get out of the house but also be with her children when they got home from school. But, as they got older, her children were more independent, budget cuts meant fewer people working on third shift, and the reality of third-shift work was taking a toll on the rest of 1 This case example is a fictitious account.