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A Metaphor Analysis of Patients' With Chronic Conditions Experiences With Holistic Nurse Coaching
Colleen Delaney1, Cynthia Barrere, Linda Bark
1School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs (Dr Delaney); School of Nursing, Quinnipiac University, Hamden, Connecticut (Dr Barrere); and Wisdom of the Whole Coaching Academy, Alameda, California (Dr Bark).
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine metaphors used by patients with chronic conditions to describe their experience with holistic nurse coaching. A secondary analysis was conducted using Metaphor Identification Procedure to analyze the corpus of 112 pages of typed transcription. Five metaphors emerged: (1) taking personal power back like acquiring a new toolbox; (2) seeing health challenges from different angles like a duck pond race; (3) shifting perception of a chronic condition like a spider turned into a friend; (4) engaging in self-care like caring for a favorite plant; and (5) choosing to focus on the positive like a collage that changed from dark to light. Specific interventions can be developed to address each of these metaphors to help patients live well with chronic conditions.
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