Van Manen's Method Research Articles

Lived Experiences of the Patients with COVID-19: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic is a considerable challenge for infected patients who require more attention for recovery. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the lived experience of patients with COVID-19. Methods: This qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted in the southeast of Iran from March to May 2020. The data were purposefully collected from 16 patients with COVID-19. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured telephone interviews and analyzed using the Van Manen method. Results: The lived experiences of patients were categorized into five themes, including incredible clinical symptoms of COVID-19, horror and stigma, bad memories of hospitalization, trust in God and hope as recovery agents from COVID-19, and reborn after recovery from COVID-19. Conclusion: Patients with COVID-19 have experienced variety of physical and psychosocial challenges. Health care providers have to supply appropriate strategies to fulfill the infected patients needs in such a crisis.

Relying on myself: The lived experience of being at risk for falling in the hospital among older adults

Inpatient fall rates have not significantly decreased the last decade. Older adults have an estimated 50% greater inpatient fall rate than younger adults. How older adults perceive their own fall risk affects their adherence to fall prevention recommendations. The aim of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of being at risk for falling in the hospital among older adults. Nine participants (N=9) aged 65 years and older (female=55%) were interviewed twice using online video-conferencing after hospital discharge, and interview data was analyzed using van Manen's interpretive phenomenological method. Five major interpretive themes emerged: Relying on Myself, Managing Balance Problems in an Unfamiliar Environment, Struggling to Maintain Identity, Following the Hospital Rules, and Maintaining Dignity in the Relationships with Nursing Staff. Hospitalized older adults employed their self-efficacy to manage balance problems in the hospital. Additional fall prevention interventions supporting hospitalized older adults’ self-management of fall risk are needed.

Covid-19의 교육환경에서 전문대학 만학도 장애학생들의 대학생활 경험에 관한 연구

This study intends to examine the lives and the adaptation processes of students with late school disabilities, which consists of the face-to-face and non-face-to-face learning methods under the Covid-19 pandemic and analyzes the changes in their past and present lives through the university classes and learning experiences. Seven students with late school disabilities were sampled through the snowball method, and the data were analyzed through Van Manen method, one of the phenomenological methodologies. Five essential themes were derived from the campus life experiences of students with late school disabilities describing as “repeated daily life in the corona pandemic and opposition from surrounding”, “educational environment unfamiliar than expected”, “un-narrowed Digital Gap”, “pleasure from learning”, and “rediscovery of the self that he can do”. The said five essential themes can be understood as a process of “finding the joy of learning and regaining confidence in life”, however, which can also be summarized as “a change that is being recognized” through the analysis of the non-contact campus life experiences of the student with late school disabilities. Although there are still inconveniences in non-face-to-face campus life, it can be understood as a changing process of discovering themselves positively in an unfamiliar nonface- to-face educational environment. Their campus experiences can be described as follows; first of all, it appeared as an irregular, dreary, lonely lives in which there is freedom, but taking responsibilities for it. Through a comfortable home, friends, and living in a comfortable environment, which brought satisfaction in their lives and positive perception as independent students. Not only that, but it appeared as a process of finding the role for the disabled. This can be understood as having hopes and dreams for the future as the mind and life that were anxious about specific goals and dreams were stabilized, dreams and small hopes for the future and the attitude toward life changes. In the campus life experiences of students with late school disabilities, it was confirmed that the study participants independently changed toward their independent life satisfaction and positive perception of themselves as a process of change in which the self-determination rights and goals and hopes for their lives by seeking the role for the disabled who have not yet been encountered and in the process of positively recognizing themselves.

PERSEPSI REMAJA TERHADAP BAHAYA COVID-19

Corona Virus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) caused by Sars-Cov-2 which was first discovered in the Wuhan area of China in 2019 and caused the pandemic is still not over. One of the factors that affect the length of the pandemic is the behavior of the people. In coffee shops/cafes, teenagers are still found gathering without keeping their distance and not wearing masks. Several studies have identified the level of knowledge or health literacy of adolescents as having an effect on this behavior, but there has been no further research on adolescents' perceptions of the dangers of COVID-19. The purpose of this study was to explore adolescents' perceptions of the dangers of COVID-19. This study uses a qualitative method with a phenomenological study design on five adolescents. Collecting data using in-depth interviews and analyzed using the Van Manen method. This study resulted in two themes, namely 1) At first it was normal, 2) Realizing dangerous diseases. The final statement that connects the two themes is “There is a change in perception of Covid-19.” Subsequent research can explore the role of parents in controlling Covid-19 prevention behavior in adolescents and design a web-based Covid-19 application for adolescents.

Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 on Hospitalized Patients: A Qualitative Study.

Background:As the 2019 coronavirus spreads rapidly around the world, it has caused widespread fear and anxiety in various populations. This study aimed to explore the psychological effects of COVID-19 on patients with this disease.Materials and Methods:A qualitative study was conducted with a phenomenological approach. A purposive sample of 11 patients with COVID-19 was recruited. Data were collected from the beginning of March to the beginning of June 2020 using semi-structured interviews and they were analyzed according to Van Manen's method. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.Results:Initially, 315 codes were extracted. During data analysis and comparisons, the codes were reduced to 108. Ultimately, 10 categories, 38 subcategories, and 3 themes emerged. The theme of “behavioral responses” including 5 categories (Remorse, Fear and despair, Death anxiety, Growth, Support), “disease-caused helplessness” including two categories (Failure, Denial), and “decline of social networks” including three categories (Rejection, Stigma, Feeling guilty).Conclusions:After understanding the findings of this research, nurses working in the wards of patients with COVID-19 can better consider the importance of assessing and analyzing the psychological challenges and experiences of these patients during the course of illness and quarantine. Findings also enhance the identification and organization of training needs during such a pandemic and the design of nursing programs to meet them.

Mothers' experiences of giving medicines to children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities-The impact on time.

BackgroundChronic health conditions experienced by children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities are accompanied by numerous challenges because of the prolonged period over which children take medication and the large number of drugs they take. Mothers experience many challenges in giving medicines, from difficulties in physical administration to manipulation of medication, covert administration and alternative formulations. The aim of this study was to explore mothers' lived experience of giving medicines to children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities.MethodsA hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used. Semistructured face‐to‐face interviews and participant diaries were adopted for data collection, resulting in 28 interviews undertaken and 7 diaries completed with mothers of children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. Van Manen's method for thematic analysis was used for data analysis.ResultsThe concept of time and the impact of giving medicines were apparent, mothers being ‘always on call’ and the constant full‐time pace of their caring role evident. There was little spontaneity in their lives, dampened by the routine of giving medicines and their caregiving role. The necessity to be prepared and organized was highlighted as important in ensuring children got their medications on time and safely.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into the phenomenon of mothers' lived experience of giving medicines to children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. It has enabled exploration and familiarity with the lifeworld of mothers and offers meaning on the phenomena of giving medicines. It was concluded that this experience is a relentless and challenging one, yet appears invisible as an element of care in professional discourse. Through addressing the gap in understanding and exploring the meaning of this phenomenon, it may be useful in developing care for mothers and children with severe and profound intellectual disabilities.

The Lived Experiences of Iranian Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Qualitative Research.

Background:Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects various systems of the body. The present study was conducted with the aim to explain the lived experiences of Iranian patients with RA.Materials and Methods:According to the research question, the phenomenological research approach was used. The participants were selected through purposive sampling, and sampling was continued until data saturation was achieved. The data was collected by conducting unstructured interviews and using an audio recorder. To interpret the data, an interpretive/hermeneutic approach was implemented using Van Manen's method. In addition, Lincoln and Guba's criteria were used to evaluate data robustness.Results:A total of 24 participants participated in the study. Overall, 145 basic concept codes were extracted which were classified into the four main themes of self-management with the participation of the family, spiritual resilience in the face of existing problems, the tendency to hide the disease, and the fear of an uncertain future.Conclusions:It is recommended that care providers use the findings of this study to develop care plans in the various aspects of the physical, mental, social, and spiritual needs of patients with RA based on their concerns and deep experiences. It is also suggested that other qualitative research approach methodologies such as grounded theory for explaining the process of patient care and providing an appropriate model, or action research for solving the problems of hospitalized patients through suitable care at home be implemented.

Living Experiences of Nursing Students in Caring for Covid-19 patients: a Phenomenological Study

Background and Objective: In January 2020, the outbreak of the COVID-19 disease was declared an international health crisis by the World Health Organization (WHO). Nurses are mostly in close contact with patients during hospitalization. Since nursing students provide patient care alongside nurses, the discovery of nursing students’ lived experiences of caring for COVID-19 patients is of paramount importance in the effective management of the disease. The present study aimed to assess nursing students' experiences of caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was performed by the hermeneutic phenomenological method in 2021. Samples were selected from nursing students with experience of caring for Covid-19 patients in Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected through semi-structured and individual interviews and analyzed simultaneously and continuously by the Van Manen method. Results: Nursing students' lived experiences in caring for Covid-19 patients included three main categories and seven subcategories: 1) conflicting emotions (anxiety, mental involvement, and maturity), 2) psychosomatic problems (sleep disorders, skin problems, and neurological problems), and 3) self-awareness and empowerment (efforts made in patient care, striving for self-preservation). Conclusion: As evidenced by the results of the present study, nursing students experienced anxiety, stress, and mental preoccupation in caring for a patient with Covid-19. On the other hand, participants were satisfied and proud of being able to provide patient care during this period. In this regard, students gained experience in caring for themselves and patients strived to reduce stress and provide proper care. According to the findings of this study, the education system and university administrators can help reduce psychological stress and improve the quality of care in nursing students through holding web-based courses on stress management skills, training on the use of personal protective equipment, and observing health protocols.

The Experiences of Nursing Students towards Distance Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic

With the emergency crisis management due to the COVID-19, in many countries around the world, the education system structured according to formal education has been tailored to the distance education system This study was carried out to comprehensively investigate and understand the experiences of nursing students towards web-based education in Turkey, which is applying distance education today due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted as a qualitative study with a Hermeneutic phenomenological framework. Data collection was terminated when data saturation was reached. The sample of the study consisted of 14 student nurses. The data were evaluated using Van Manen's thematic analysis method. The analysis of the data revealed three themes: "COVID-19 and the distance education that comes with it", "barriers to distance education", and "dilemmas regarding distance education in terms of nursing education". In the study, nursing students perceived personal, infrastructural, technical equipment, and pedagogical barriers to distance education. Although students were aware of some of the opportunities offered by distance education, they defined the lack of clinical practice as an important deficiency and inadequacy in terms of nursing education and stated that they were worried about this issue. In terms of the successful applicability of distance education in nursing education, it is important to be aware of the barriers and to try to reduce them, and to increase strategies that will strengthen clinical learning as an alternative to clinical education, which is an integral part of nursing education.

"Parenting Beyond the Veil": The Continued Parenting Relationship After a Child's Death Due to Cancer.

Background: Childhood cancer is the leading cause of illness-related death, leaving thousands of parents to experience bereavement. This article presents select findings about the nature of the continued parenting relationship, which is an essential theme of the parental bereavement experience. Method: Heideggerian phenomenology provided the philosophical underpinnings of this study, which aimed to describe the lived experience of bereaved parents who experienced the death of a child due to cancer. Van Manen's (1997) method guided data collection and analysis. Six parents participated in interviews to share what it has been like for them since their child's death. The researcher wrote analytic memos, documented detailed field notes, and used a member checking process to ensure trustworthiness of findings. Results: A structure of the lived experience of parental bereavement emerged, which included the essential theme of the continued parenting relationship. The parenting relationship continues throughout a parent's lifetime in spite of the child's physical absence, albeit in a different manner. This different nature of parenting is known as parenting beyond the veil. Bereaved parents continue to parent beyond the veil by engaging in meaningful activities, seeking activities that strengthen a deep connection with the child, and being open to comforting signs that enhance their continued relationship. Discussion: Parents believe sharing their experience can help nurses and other professionals understand the importance of their continued parenting relationship and their need to parent beyond the veil so that they can provide high quality care to bereaved parents in the future.

Women with breast cancer living with one breast after a mastectomy

Aim: To explore the impact of mastectomy on the body image of women with breast cancer. Design: A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach. Methods: Thirty women (n = 30) with post-mastectomy breast cancer were obtained through a purposive sampling technique. Data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured individual interviews to explore the experiences of the participants and the meanings they attribute to them. The data was analysed using the Van Manen method and with the help of NVivo 12 software. Results: Three main themes were identified in this study: “breast meaning”, “self-concept”, and coping strategies for women after mastectomy. Breasts are interpreted as a symbol of female status that reflects femininity and attractiveness. Mastectomy can cause changes in appearance, which can affect women’s body image, self-concept, and social interaction. Emotional intensive coping and problem-solving intensive coping are coping strategies used by women after mastectomy. Conclusion: Breasts are synonymous with femininity, beauty, and attractiveness. Therefore, many women feel that they have lost their femininity and self-confidence after losing their breasts due to mastectomy.

Challenges in the clinical education environment during the covid-19 outbreak: The experiences of medical students

Background: The aim of the present study was to determine the challenges of medical students in the clinical education environment during the outbreak of Covid-19 to understand their experiences. Methods: This qualitative study was performed based on the hermeneutic phenomenological approach and Van Manen's analytical method from 10th of August to 12th of September 2020 in different departments of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. In this phenomenological study, using the purposive sampling method, the participants were selected from among medical students. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 12 medical students. All the interviews were recorded and transcribed, and then, the codes, categories, and themes were extracted using Van Manen's analytical method. Results: The 5 main themes of the present study were 'inefficient clinical education', 'dealing with real work conflicts', 'the future professional challenges', 'the challenges related to organizational policy', and 'the challenges related to the sense of stigma among the medical staff. The most important challenges consisted of 'moving away from the educational goals due to reduced attendance at the clinical setting', 'the cancellation of some clinical courses', 'the creation of stress in the students by professors', 'fear of getting sick and transmitting the disease to family members', 'fatigue and heavy sweating due to caring for a large number of patients while wearing isolation gowns', 'the prolongation of the students' studies and delay in starting their thesis'. Conclusion: The results of this study provided a deeper insight into the perceptions, feelings, and experiences of medical students during the coronavirus pandemic. © 2021, Vesnu Publications. All rights reserved.

Challenges in the clinical education environment during the outbreak of COVID-19: Development and psychometric testing.

BACKGROUND:COVID-19 pandemic poses unique physical and emotional challenges in providing clinical education. Failure to identify the challenges and problems that students face in the clinical learning environment hinders their effective learning and growth. Consequently, the progress of their skills is affected. The aim of this study was to develop a challenge in the clinical education environment of medical students during the outbreak of COVID-19 questionnaire and to test its psychometric properties.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This study is part of a larger study that was conducted using a combined consecutive method in Qazvin. In the first stage, a phenomenological study was performed with van Manen's method by interviewing 12 students at Qazvin University. To extract the items of the tool in the second stage, the concept was defined. Ultimately, the psychometric properties of the questionnaire were evaluated with face validity, content validity (quantitative and qualitative), construct validity (exploratory factor analysis), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), and test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient).RESULTS:The initial tool had 70 questions. After validation, 53 items remained in the final questionnaire. Four extracted dimensions were as follows: “Inadequate professional competency,” “Inefficient clinical planning” and “outcomes of learning-teaching activities,” and “the challenges related to the stigma of medical staff.” Cronbach's alpha for the whole questionnaire was 0.98 (range: 0.87–0.98). The test–retest (intraclass correlation coefficient) reliability was 0.98 (P < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:According to the obtained results, if the items of “Inadequate professional competency,” “Inefficient clinical planning” and “outcomes of learning-teaching activities,” and “the challenges related to the stigma of medical staff,” the challenges of students’ clinical education can be reduced during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Experience of Nurses Working at the Drive-Thru COVID-19 Screening Clinic

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of nurses' experiences of working at Drive-Thru COVID-19 Screening Clinic. Methods: Participants in this study were 8 nurses who worked for more than two weeks at the Drive-Thru COVID-19 Screening Clinic Screening Clinic in P-city, Gyeongbuk, which was declared a Corona19 disaster area. Data collection was conducted through individual in-depth interviews from June to August 2020. For data analysis, Max van Manen's analytical phenomenology research method was applied. Results: The essential theme of the Drive-Thru COVID-19 screening clinic nurse's experiences was 'A sense of calling as a nurse', 'Physical and psychological stress', 'Daily life tailored to the work of the screening clinic', 'Time to live together in the fight against the virus', 'New perception and rewarding for nursing'. Conclusion: The results of this study provide basic data for preparing a support system and understanding the work of nurses who are put on the front line in the event of a disaster by vividly describing the experiences of nurses working at the Drive-Thru screening clinic.

Hermeneutic phenomenological human science research method in clinical practice settings: An integrative literature review

Researchers conduct phenomenological studies to better understand the experiences of phenomena. Researchers conducting phenomenological studies use different research methods grounded in philosophical underpinnings. Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological human science method is used in understanding phenomena in diverse disciplines. The purpose of the integrative review was to explore and synthesize research to address two questions about the human science method in clinical practice settings.Wittemore and Knafi (2005)'s method for integrative review was used to explore current literature and summarize the use of human science method. A database search of keywords in peer-reviewed articles published from 2009 to 2019 was reviewed. Eleven key research studies were selected for the integrative literature review. The key studies met the inclusion criteria of phenomenology, nurses, human science method, clinical practice, and van Manen. Researchers used van Manen's human science method as guidelines for collecting and analyzing data about the lived experience of diverse phenomena in clinical practice settings. An understanding of the human science method will guide researchers who conduct research studies using van Manen's approach to phenomenology.

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on the Experiences of Employment of Married North Korean Women Defectors Rearing Children

This study aimed to understand the experiences of married North Korean women's child-rearing, working lives, and their home and work environment in depth. This study adopted van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological method to qualitatively analyze data. The participants were 8 married North Korean women defectors. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and observations from July 4 to August 20, 2018. Nine essential themes emerged: more personal challenges after overcoming a life-threatening crisis; hopes of firmly settling in this land; the wound from the north, which chased them here; a body that becomes stronger through hardship; being stuck in a past full of anxiety and pain; the present is full of hope; hope for the future; sense of alienation from coworkers that cannot be overcome; and sense of power to endure an exhausting work life. This study provided a broader understanding of the life and experiences of married women from North Korea. It highlights the need for nurses to recognize their importance in nursing care. The study also suggests that academic and practical approaches for nursing, and basic data for a nursing intervention for married women from North Korea be provided. The study findings can be used as a basis for preparing a national policy that will help North Korean defectors to find employment and gain stability.

The experiences of seven women living with pelvic surgical mesh complications

This research sought to address a gap in the literature about women's lived experience of pelvic surgical mesh complications, conducted by an insider researcher. An increasing number of women who have pelvic mesh surgeries with a view to improving their lives are experiencing life-altering complications. Without knowledge of these experiences we cannot know how best to care for affected women and prevent harm to further women. Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological method was used. Seven women with pelvic mesh complications aged 43-69years were enrolled using criterion sampling. Four of the seven women had surgical mesh for both pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), one for POP only, and two for SUI only. The women completed a modified ICIQ-LUTSqol questionnaire pre-interview and answered a separate global spiritual question adapted from the HOPE tool, a framework for spiritual assessment. Women were interviewed once using a semi-structured approach. Data were analysed using Van Manen's selective reading technique and organized according to Lifeworld Existentials. Modified ICIQ-LUTSqol scores ranged between 43 and 76 (range 19-76), with a mean of 62.2 (SD + 10.011) demonstrating significant impact on quality of life. Themes emerging from the analysis were: (1) lived space: 1(a) feeling powerless in the medical space, 1(b) living in a shrinking world; (2) lived body: 2(a) living with unrelenting pain, 2(b) inhabiting a body that can no longer be relied on; (3) lived time: 3(a) living in the gap between what was and what could have been; (4) lived other: 4(a) suffering in silence, 4(b) finding absolute Other and others as a source of strength. Pelvic surgical mesh complications have an extensive adverse impact on the lifeworld of women experiencing complications. Failure to acknowledge mesh complications as treatment injury stalls the development of safer alternatives and changes needed to industry practices, regulation, clinical practice, and monitoring to keep women undergoing innovative urogynaecological procedures safe.

Fathers matter too! Lived experience of pedagogical hope in raising children with Down syndrome.

Pedagogical hope is a fundamental disposition for raising children. This attitude among fathers of children with Down syndrome (DS) plays an essential role in their children's development. This phenomenological study sought to explore fathers' lived experiences and to reflect on what it means to be a pedagogically hopeful father of a child with DS. Max van Manen's hermeneutic-phenomenological method was applied. Phenomenological interviews were held with 10 fathers of children with DS in Spain, Ecuador and Scotland. Anecdotal narratives from the transcribed interviews were analysed based on philosophical, philological and human science methods. The four eidetic themes in the phenomenological text show how a pedagogically hopeful father (1) is realistic; (2) believes in the strengths of his child with DS; (3) trusts in his positive influence; and (4) is open to unexpected surprises. Lived experiences of pedagogical hope reveal fathers' fundamental roles in stimulating the utmost development of their child's capabilities. Reflecting on this pedagogical attitude will undoubtedly encourage fathers, educators and health care professionals to make the most of this disposition and enhance their relationship with their children with DS.

Bereavement care to minimize bereaved parents' suffering in their lifelong journey towards healing

This article presents select findings from an interpretive phenomenological study which aimed to describe the lived experience of parental bereavement. Six parents, each of whom experienced the death of a child due to cancer at least one year prior, participated in conversational interviews to share what it has been like for them since their child's death. Heideggerian (1962) phenomenology provided the philosophical underpinnings of the study, while van Manen's (1997) phenomenological method guided data collection and analysis. From this methodological approach, a structure of the meaning of parental bereavement experience was revealed. Profound suffering emerged as one essential theme. Pertinent findings related to this theme are discussed. Parents share ways others might minimize their suffering and provide support in their lifelong journey towards healing. Findings will enhance nurses' practice of providing bereavement care, which is an expectation of quality palliative care.

Lived experiences of international operating room nurses in organ procurement surgery: A phenomenological study.

International operating room nurses come from different regions of the world with diverse social and cultural backgrounds, religions, personal beliefs, and education. They are likely to form unique attitudes toward multi-organ procurement that potentially might affect their opinions and clinical practices. The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of international operating room nurses participating in deceased organ procurement procedures in Australia. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 international operating room nurses. van Manen's phenomenological data analysis method was adopted to uncover and interpret meanings from these nurses' descriptions. Four essential themes emerged and evolved to signify the meanings of participants' experiences in organ procurement procedures: the surreality of death, personal and professional challenges, becoming stronger, and personal beliefs and wishes. The present study highlights the importance of cultural awareness in dealing with death, organ procurement, and interprofessional collaboration in the multi-cultural perioperative context. It is essential to provide clinical education and support around culture and practice transition for international operating room nurses to increase and maintain their professional confidence, career satisfaction, health, and well-being during organ procurement surgery.