Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Award Date

2011

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department / School

Graduate Nursing

First Advisor

Sandra Bunkers

Abstract

Living on the edge is a universal lived experience. The humanbecoming theory of nursing science guided the study. The purposes of this investigation were to reveal the structure of the experience of living on the edge, to understand the lived experience of living on the edge, to reveal and gain insight into the unique ways people live their health. This understanding is essential for nurses to value the person's perspective of their personal health and quality of life. The participants were ten persons living in the frontier of the American west. A review of literature evaluated the existing body of knowledge. A synthetic definition through concept inventing has been created (Peterson-Lund, in press). The Parse method of dialogical engagement, extraction-synthesis, and heuristic interpretation was utilized to expand understanding of this phenomenon and contribute to nursing science. The research question was: What is the structure of the experience of living on the edge? The structure of the experience of living on the edge is: Living on the edge is persevering with pioneering ventures amid perilous remoteness, as vacillating sentiments arise with diverse affiliations. The findings provided new knowledge of health and quality of life, advanced nursing practice, and presented future direction for research. The experience of living on the edge was explored with humankind living within the frontier of the American west.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Quality of life -- West (U.S)
Nursing -- Philosophy

Description

Includes bibliographical references (pages 184-206)

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

218

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Rights

Copyright © 2011 Robin Peterson-Lund

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