Becoming whole: the role of story for healing.

This paper explores the role of story for healing. Specifically, this paper describes story and healing in cultural or whole medical systems, including Latino/Hispanic traditions, Native American/Indigenous traditions, and Homeopathy. In addition, the authors provide a brief overview of story and healing in the nursing and medical literature, and evaluate the value of story in our current practice as holistic nurses. It is important for the holistic nurse to be aware of the role of stories for healing in diverse systems of healthcare. This awareness can help bridge the knowledge gap between cultural or whole medical systems and Western Medicine, thus optimizing the healing environment for the patient, nurse, and other providers of care.

Saying "no" to professional recommendations: client values, beliefs, and evidence-based practice.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article is to explore the phenomenon of saying "no" to secondary prevention recommended by healthcare providers. DATA SOURCES: Extracted findings from two qualitative studies in which participants have said "no" to provider recommendations for secondary prevention, specifically screening mammograms or treatment for latent tuberculosis infection, are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: Although these two studies focus on different aspects of secondary prevention, both studies emphasize how client values and beliefs impact health decisions. In evidence-based practice (EBP), both scientific evidence and client values and beliefs must be considered. Nurse practitioners (NPs) have the skill set and are in a position to assist clients to mediate between their values and beliefs and current scientific evidence. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Several findings from the two qualitative studies are relevant for practice: qualitative studies provide information about values and beliefs for EBP, and findings from these particular qualitative studies demonstrated that women were protective about their health even though their values and beliefs did not align with current scientific evidence. Through client narratives, NPs can facilitate clients aligning personal values and beliefs with current scientific evidence in relationship to caring for self.

Content validity and the language of breathing.

OBJECTIVE: The study objective was to validate the content validity of natural language words and phrases selected from participant logs as breathing-intensity descriptors. DESIGN AND SETTING: A descriptive design was implemented using data collected in a prior study in which the breathing-intensity descriptors had been identified. METHODS: Content validity was used to rate natural language breathing-intensity descriptors. Six seasoned nurses with a minimum of master's preparation served as the expert panel. On the basis of a 4-point (0-3) scale, mean scores were calculated for natural language breathing-intensity descriptors. Content validity was established for mean scores greater than 1.0. RESULTS: A total of 66 (89%) natural language breathing-intensity descriptors were validated. The experts did not validate eight descriptors that described the lower end of breathing intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Natural language breathing-intensity descriptors were validated. The highest validation scores were achieved with breathing-intensity descriptors at the upper end of the breathing-intensity spectrum. However, words and phrases that aligned with the lower end of the spectrum generated lower content validity scores. This was an unexpected finding on the full spectrum of breathing intensity that raised questions about differences in language, meaning, and significance between participants and experts.