untitled

an important and lasting influence on their activi-
ties as a nurse. Nurses of multiple backgrounds,
with different levels of preparation and in varied
settings and countries, have found Parse’s perspec-
tive to be closest to their own beliefs about nursing
and have therefore chosen to use the theory to
guide their practice and research.
The broad appeal of the theory and its meaning-
fulness in practice has been described in many
publications too numerous to list. In several uni-
versity-affiliated settings in Canada, human be-
coming practice has been evaluated, and the theory
has provided underpinnings for standards of care
(Bournes, 2002b; Legault & Ferguson-Paré, 1999;
Mitchell, 1998a; Mitchell, Closson, Coulis, Flint, &
Gray, 2000; Northrup & Cody, 1998) and nursing
best practice guidelines (Nelligan, Grinspun, Jonas-
Simpson, McConnell, Peter, Pilkington et al., 2002;
RNAO, 2002).
On a smaller scale, the Center for Human
Becoming was established in 1997 in Charlotte,
North Carolina, as a milieu for the nurse-person
process within a 25-unit housing complex for
people living with HIV. The theory has guided
practice in several community settings with various
groups, including persons who have no home
(Bunkers, Nelson, Leuning, Crane, & Josephson,
1999; Williamson, 2000).
Implementing the human becoming theory as
the central guide to nursing practice is never easy
for individuals or institutions. Adopting the
Human Becoming Theory often means confronting
doubts about one’s knowledge, experiencing con-
flict and confusion in practice, and sometimes
alienating coworkers committed to more tradi-

tional paradigms. Nurses may gain knowledge and

encouragement from available texts and other

media (Fitne, 1997; International Consortium

of Parse Scholars, 1996), from the regular confer-

ences of the International Consortium of Parse

Scholars and its regional chapters, from sessions

with Dr. Parse at the Human Becoming Institute in

Pittsburgh, and from the annual conferences led by

Parse at Loyola University in Chicago. It is difficult,

though not impossible, to implement the theory in

practice without the support of others.

In institutions, a dependable commitment of

resources from top-level administration and the

ready availability of well-prepared education

and practice leaders are minimal essentials for

implementing Parse’s theory-guided practice

(Bournes & DasGupta, 1997; Linscott, Spee, Flint,

& Fisher, 1999; Mitchell et al., 2000). Shifting prac-

tice in an institutional setting from traditional

biomedical to the human becoming perspective re-

quires a radical paradigm shift within the local

health-care culture. To adopt Parse’s theory as

the guide to practice is to adopt fundamentally

different definitions of such key notions as health,

family, community, presence, person, freedom,

change, and reality. Parse’s Theory of Human

Becoming is not a model for nursing practice that

can be imposed on unwilling workers. The Parse

nurse lives the values and beliefs manifest and

structured linguistically in the theory. Clearly, this

can only become an actuality through individual

study, reflection, choice, and action.

Fostering the art of true presence in nursing

practice—which is living the values and beliefs

underpinning Parse’s practice methodology in the

CHAPTER 14 Applications of Parse’s Human Becoming School of Thought 195

Table 14–1 Extracted-Synthesized Essences and Language Art for Ben

Ben’s Language Researcher’s Language

Feeling confident is feeling good, calm, content, and secure; keep-

ing up-to-date and being aware of what is going on; and know-

ing whatever happens, it should be okay.

Feeling confident is feeling important and worthwhile, encourag-

ing others, getting psyched up, accomplishing something of in-

terest, and staying mostly confident, except when intimidated

by unfamiliar situations.

LANGUAGE ART

Feeling confident is serene assuredness amid ambiguity surfacing with vigilant attentiveness as cherished triumphs

emerge with gratitude in the wavering buoyancy of pursuing sustaining-daunting engagements.

Serene assuredness amid ambiguity surfaces with

vigilant attentiveness.

Cherished triumphs emerge with gratitude in the

wavering buoyancy of pursuing sustaining-

daunting engagements.