The gift of true presence: a nursing story where theory and practice meet.
Nursing theories have long existed to guide nursing practice but, in reality, can be challenging to achieve. In this paper the application of Parse's theory on Human Becoming is seen through a nurse's experience with an oncology patient and her family. Her reflection highlights how the concepts and paradoxes of the theory can meet practice. An attitude of true presence enables the nurse to provide quality patient-centred care. Over a period of a year the focus evolves from the perspective of the patient's illness to that of life outside the illness. During that transition, new light is shed on the situation whereby the ultimate meaning changes and transformation occurs for the nurse, the patient and her family.
Peel Regional Cancer Centre, The Credit Valley Hospital, Mississauga, ON. pauseg@hotmail.com
Gesua
G
Palmieri
Cathy
C
Kiteley
D009729:Nursing; D009742:Nursing Theory; D018802:Patient-Centered Care