The concept and relevance of existential issues in nursing

Udo, Camilla

doi:10.1016/j.ejon.2014.04.002

Cited by 31 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 82 publications

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“…The main finding was that life came to a standstill during an often prolonged diagnostic phase. The existential aspect of being in the diagnostic phase of SLE has rarely been brought to attention in previous research, although our study agrees with previous studies which have documented aspects of this phenomenon or described the consequences of being diagnosed with SLE or related chronic illnesses (13,19,(38)(39)(40)(41). The discussion will reflect empirical studies from comparable chronic illnesses when needed as well as philosophical and related classical literature to deepen the interpretation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Being in a standstill‐of‐life: women's experience of being diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus: a hermeneutic‐phenomenological study

Larsen

Hall

Jacobsen

et al. 2017

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

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Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a highly unpredictable and potentially lethal disease which ultimately challenges identity, future and the meaning of life. In a caring context, the experience of good health is perceived to be a balance between biomedical health and the existential experience of having a good life. This balance is jeopardised in the face of severe chronic illness and leads to extensive suffering if not handled carefully. Research suggests that patients suffering from severe chronic illness need support on an existential level, but also emphasises that, given its elusive nature, caring for the existential dimension is difficult to manage. This paper explores the experience of being diagnosed with SLE as an existential phenomenon. Through repeated phenomenological and hermeneutic interviews with 15 women conducted from 2013 to 2015, data concerning the diagnostic phase of SLE were analysed using Van Manen's phenomenology of practice. The essence was found to be a standstill in life comprehended through three inter-related themes: standing in a swirl of events, standing on uneven ground and standing at a turning point with oneself and others. The paper elucidates how existential life phenomena are lived, during the course of being diagnosed. In conclusion, it provides an ethical awareness of how a standstill in life is lived and of the patients' existential transition during the diagnostic phase. A holistic approach is recommended in caring for patients with SLE.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Being in a standstill‐of‐life: women's experience of being diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus: a hermeneutic‐phenomenological study

Larsen

Hall

Jacobsen

et al. 2017

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

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“…Situational meaning and coherence were connected to the infant. According to Udo , existential issues include meaning, death and limit situations. Existential issues are always present in human life but will be triggered by certain situations.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mothers' experiences of having a premature infant due to pre‐eclampsia

Værland

Vevatne

Brinchmann

2017

Scandinavian Caring Sciences

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Because of the acuteness of the birth and the infant's prematurity, the mothers had various feelings about becoming mothers. Existential issues concerning life and death were triggered regarding their own lives and those of their infants. Their experiences are different from those of other NICU mothers; their illnesses initially restricted them from being with their infants. The mothers found that their own health and the fact that their infants were premature and had to stay in the NICU restricted them from being able to take care of their infants. While they recovered, they strived to act as they felt a real mother should.

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“…Although we can never fully understand someone else’s life world, “reaching towards” otherness as a process and practice is often more important than “knowing” the details of someone’s “insiderness” and is something to strive for (Todres, Galvin, & Dahlberg, 2014). Existential issues and caring are closely connected, and caring can be seen as an ethical aspect and a wisdom-based side of nursing (Udo, 2014). Thus, knowledge about nurses’ and other health care professionals’ encounters with older people perceived to be experiencing existential loneliness is vitally important to the development of supportive interventions for health care professionals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Encountering existential loneliness among older people: perspectives of health care professionals

Sundström

Edberg

Rämgård

et al. 2018

International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well

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Purpose: Existential loneliness is part of being human that is little understood in health care, but, to provide good care to their older patients, professionals need to be able to meet their existential concerns. The aim of this study was to explore health care professionals’ experiences of their encounters with older people they perceive to experience existential loneliness. Method: We conducted 11 focus groups with 61 health professionals working in home care, nursing home care, palliative care, primary care, hospital care, or pre-hospital care. Our deductive–inductive analytical approach used a theoretical framework based on the work of Emmy van Deurzen in the deductive phase and an interpretative approach in the inductive phase. Results: The results show that professionals perceived existential loneliness to appear in various forms associated with barriers in their encounters, such as the older people’s bodily limitations, demands and needs perceived as insatiable, personal shield of privacy, or fear and difficulty in encountering existential issues. Conclusion: Encountering existential loneliness affected the professionals and their feelings in various ways, but they generally found the experience both challenging and meaningful.

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The concept and relevance of existential issues in nursing

Cited by 31 publications

References 82 publications

Being in a standstill‐of‐life: women's experience of being diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus: a hermeneutic‐phenomenological study

Being in a standstill‐of‐life: women's experience of being diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus: a hermeneutic‐phenomenological study

Mothers' experiences of having a premature infant due to pre‐eclampsia

Encountering existential loneliness among older people: perspectives of health care professionals

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