Joyceen S. Boyle

African American adolescents' experiences with unplanned pregnancy and elective abortion.

Abortion is a controversial topic in American society, yet abortion experiences have not been studied in great detail. We used a focused ethnographic method to interview 12 adolescents (ages 15–18 years) as they awaited elective abortion. Two follow-up interviews were conducted 6 and 8 months after the elective abortion. Major domains included relationships with partners, confiding in others and finding support, unselfish decision for self, and resolution of the crises. Empowerment was the integrating theme that unified the four domains.

Going Home: African-American Caregiving for Adult Children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease

The caregiving literature has focused on European-American caregivers who are providing care to spouses or parents with Alzheimers disease. The article reports ethnographic research exploring aspects of caregiving by rural African-American mothers for adult children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. Eight African-American mothers were interviewed to elicit cultural domains of caregiving. Two major domains were a personal relationship with God and Gods will. Taken together, these domains framed the context in which African-American mothers understood HIV disease, provided care, and resolved the death of their adult child.

Experiences of women with chronic pelvic pain

This ethnographic study describes how a group of women with chronic pelvic pain (CPP) learned to develop self-care strategies that allowed them to function in their culturally prescribed roles throughout their illnesses. The sample consisted of 12 European American and 2 African American women from 19 to 52 years of age who had experienced CPP for the previous 6 months to 12 years. Data were collected by means of interviews and participant observations in a CPP clinic. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim onto the Ethnograph and analyzed by the constant comparative method. Womens experiences with CPP were described as a process of self-care consisting of three strategies: assessing the need for self-care, developing self-care practices, and sustaining self-care practices.

Critical Thinking in African American Mothers Who Care for Adult Children with HIV: A cultural analysis

This research study defines critical thinking in nursing and examines the thinking processes revealed by 15 African American mothers who are caregivers to adult children with HIV. The purpose of this cultural analysis was to compare the mothers’ decision-making processes with their critical-thinking processes. Their culture, heritage, faith, and value of family influenced caregivers in this study. Their testimony revealed the patterns of creating a different path of care, weaving together resources, choosing among negative alternatives, and selecting stories to tell. Mothers’ decisions were based on complex and holistic knowledge of their situations and culture and could be termed multilogical, a type of thinking considered necessary for managing complex situations. Health providers can benefit from an understanding of these decision-making processes.

Nominations for excellence: collegial advocacy for nurse practitioners.

&NA; This study examined physician nomination data submitted for Syntex Nurse Practitioner of the Year Awards for 1988, 1989, and 1990. The physicians identified nurse practitioner contributions to patient care, community service/outreach, and education and research. A content analysis of the text data yielded themes within four major domains that described outstanding nurse practitioners in mutual practice relationships with physicians. The domains were clinical expertise, holistic caring, patient‐centered activism, and leadership. The findings in this study indicated that physicians value the contributions of nurse practitioners that enhance the quality and scope of health care for patients within a mutual practice.