A phenomenological study of the meaning nursing faculty ascribe in their decision to continue formal education
Date
1989
Authors
Hickman, Jocelyne Lise
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to uncover the meaning nursing faculty ascribe to the decision to continue formal education. This phenomenological question was approached by exploring the nature of the experiences as three women made the decision to engage in further education. A phenomenological orientation enabled me to focus on the actual phenomenon as the coresearchers lived, rather than intellectualized, their experiences (van Manen, 1984).
The three nursing faculty members, through a series of non-structured interviews, engaged in a dialogue which encouraged them to describe their lived experiences. The stories they provided were rich and reflective. They are presented in prose form so they may more accurately reflect the narrative quality of their descriptions.
Themes emerged from each story that spoke of the turmoil experienced by these women and their need to return to fundamentals when contemplating the decision to undertake further education. They needed to reconstruct from early foundations, make broad assessments, seek new goals and gain a deeper understanding of how they stood in the world. This reweaving of personal patterns into a more suitable fabric brought them to the decision to continue their education.
Consistent thematic threads emerged across and at the core of the stories. Exploring beyond these themes allowed the essence of the phenomenon to emerge as a meaningful whole. The essence of the lived experiences speak to the meaning of being in harmony with one's own sense of reality; the obstacles which impeded the decision-making process; the bearing of their personal and professional relationships on that decision; and their unique and very personal understanding of education.
It is hoped that the phenomenological descriptions in this study act as a window which will enable the reader to see beyond the stories to the foundational ground of the phenomenon and to the deeper significance of the lived experiences described (Aoki , 1985).