title: The "Princess Mirror": Exemplars of the Use of the Mirror in Nursing Practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Incorporating mirrors into nursing is a relatively new field of research and practice. The focus of two studies was to explore (a) the meaning of women's mirror experiences following a mastectomy and (b) the experience of viewing self in the mirror for women who were terminally ill. The goal of the research was to establish a conceptual foundation for the development of nursing mirror interventions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open-ended questions and dialogical engagement in one-to-one audio-taped interviews were used in both studies. Ricoeur's hermeneutic phenomenology was used to analyze the findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four concepts were uncovered in the experience of viewing self in the mirror: decision, seeing, understanding, and consent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Exemplar composite case studies across the care continuum are provided as examples of the way in which mirrors may be utilized in nursing practice.
authors.affiliation: Nelda C. Stark College of Nursing, Texas Woman's University, Houston, TX.
authors.forename: Wyona M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Freysteinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008408:Mastectomy / Q000523:psychology; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Best practice; holistic health; innovation