tomlinson.ua.edu 8/Responses... · Web viewEdmund Husserl developed phenomenology to resolve conflict between human sciences and basic sciences (Creswell, 2013; Grove, et al., 2013;

Running head: THE LIVED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF OLDER NURSING 1

The Lived Educational Experience of Older Nursing Students

Justin Fallin, MSN, BSN, RN

The University of Alabama

College of Education

August 23, 2017

THE LIVED EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE OF OLDER NURSING STUDENTS 2

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the lived educational experiences of registered

nurses who became registered nurses at 60 years of age or older. The theoretical framework of

the study is phenomenology with Parse’s Theory of Humanbecoming and the Humanbecoming

Paradigm serving as the guiding principles to navigate a path within phenomenology, nursing,

and nursing education for this study. The 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses

and the 2015 National Nursing Workforce Survey indicate there is a population of registered

nurses graduating from nursing school at the age of 60 years old or older. Currently the only

information available about this student population is limited to demographic and statistical data

of a quantitative nature from national or state surveys. This study is relevant because no other

qualitative studies have been conducted on this student population. This study will add to the

nursing education body of knowledge by providing insight of a student population currently

unstudied and unknown within the nursing literature. This information will be valuable in the

pedagogy of nursing education.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

[Electronic version of Table of Contents so readers may click to each section and on the Title of

each section to return to the Table of Contents]

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Conceptual Framework

Topical Subsection

Theoretical Frame

Research Questions

Methodology

Research Design

Setting and Participant Selection

Data Collection

Data Analysis

Validity

Conclusion

References

Appendix A

Appendix B


The Lived Educational Experience of Older Nursing Students

At the age of 65, Sally Ketcher became a registered nurse (RN) with a license plate,

NURSE65, displaying the achievement (Baker, 2016). In 2016, Ketcher renewed her nursing

license as she continued working at the age of 89. Ketcher represents a growing population of

nurses who become nurses at age 60 or later. Colleges and universities across the United States

are enrolling multigenerational student populations (Helterbran, 2017). Increasing numbers of

older adults are attending higher education, earning degrees in nursing as well as other

specialties (Helterbran, 2017; Spetz, 2015). This proposed study will explore the lived

educational experiences of neophyte registered nurses who became registered nurses at age 60 or

later. This study aims to gain understanding and meaning of the lived educational experiences for

older neophyte registered nurses.

Problem

National surveys comprise the majority of information available about older nurses and

older nursing students. The 2015 National Nursing Workforce Survey indicates registered nurses

age 60 or above represent more than 25% of registered nurses in the United States (Budden,

Moulton, Harper, Brunell, & Smiley, 2016). However, the survey does not quantify the number

of new graduate nurses age 60 or above.

The most recent nursing survey conducted by the United States Department of Health and

Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) (2010) was the 2008

National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses. The HRSA survey provides five categories for age

to include those less than 25, 25-29, 30-39, 40-49, and 50 years old or older. The HRSA survey

indicates the number of nursing school graduates age 50 years or older is increasing. Nursing

school graduates age 50 years or older represented 0.8% of graduates prior to 2001, 3.6%


between 2001-2004, and 4.3% from 2005-2008 (HRSA, 2010). Combining information on

graduates 50 years old or older limits the ability to draw conclusions on graduates 60 years old or

older. However, research indicates more than 70% of nurses remain employed in nursing at age

60 or older (Budden et al., 2016; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation [RWJF], 2014). From 1969

to 2012, a 27% increase in the number of employed registered nurses age 62 or older was

reported (RWJF, 2014). During the same time, employed nurses age 69 or older increased 15%.

Alternately, the 2015 National Nursing Workforce Survey reported 71.9% of nurses age 60-64

and 40.1% of nurses age 65 and older remain employed in nursing (Budden et al., 2016). While

the data indicates the number of nurses continuing to work later in life is increasing, it provides

limited information on older nursing students.

Currently, three state nursing boards release demographic information on newly licensed

nurses to California, Louisiana, and Oregon. In California, the annual 2013-2014 school report

estimates 0.4% (≈ 45 RNs) of newly licensed registered nurses are 60-64 years of age (Spetz,

2015). In Louisiana “five respondents reported being greater than 60 years of age, and two

reported being greater than 70 years old” in 2013 (Louisiana Center for Nursing, 2014, p. 6). For

the 2014-2015 survey in Oregon, the oldest respondent was 59 years of age (Oregon Center for

Nursing, 2015). The data from California, Louisiana, and Oregon is consistent with the data from

the 2008 HRSA survey, validating the older nursing student population exists while data remains

limited and quantitative in nature. Gaining additional information on older neophyte registered

nurses is critical as the nursing shortage continues to expand across the United States.

In May 2016, there were approximately three million (2,857,180) registered nurses

working in the United States (United States Bureau of Labor Statistics [BLS], 2017). The nursing

shortage is expected to increase to more than one million vacancies by 2022 (American


Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2014; BLS, 2013). The deficit will be “more than

twice as large as any nurse shortage experienced since the introduction of Medicare and

Medicaid in the mid-1960s” (Buerhaus, Auerbach, & Staiger, 2009, p. w664). While nurses

continue working later in life, students are graduating from nursing school at advanced ages as

well (HRSA, 2010). However, there is a lack of literature related to this population of older

students. There is a paucity of data available to understand their motivations, experiences, or

goals of these students. This particular population enters the field of nursing at a time of major

transformation in U.S. healthcare (Budden et al., 2016). Those changes include treatment

modalities, delivery of care models, increasing technology, and even payor sources.

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore the lived

educational experiences of registered nurses who became nurses after the age of 60 in the United

States. The study participants will include registered nurses who graduated from an entry-level

nursing program at age 60 or later.

Research Question

The primary research question aims to explore how registered nurses who became

registered nurses at age 60 or above make meaning of their lived educational experiences.

Entry-Level RN Program

Multiple educational paths lead to licensure as a registered nurse (RN) in the United

States. For clarity, entry-level RN program refers to any accredited program leading to initial

licensure as an RN in the United States. Entry-level RN programs include (1) diploma programs,

(2) associate’s degrees, (3) bachelor’s degrees, or (4) master’s degrees in nursing (Accreditation


Committee for Education in Nursing [ACEN], 2017; Fisher, 2014; Ramstad, 2014). While each

program has different requirements, all programs lead to the same licensure as an RN. For

example, the Lutheran School of Nursing (2017) offers a 26-month hospital-based diploma

program. For students with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than nursing, Augusta University

(2017) offers a 16-month master’s degree in nursing. Graduates from the Augusta University

program earn eligibility to become an RN and a master’s degree in nursing.

Significance and Contribution

The review of literature indicates nurses age 60 or above represent more than 25% of the

nursing profession with limited data related to recent graduates in this age group (Budden et al.,

2016; HRSA, 2010). The only data available focused on older nursing graduates is quantitative

in nature. Alternately, a review of qualitative studies indicate additional research is needed on

students age 60 or older in order to explore their lived experiences (Bratrud, 1999; Burdett, 2008;

Helterbran, 2017; Huston, 2011). Exploring the lived experiences of this population will provide

new understanding and insight about the meaning of being an older nursing student.

The proposed study will add to the scholarly research and literature for nursing education

with a focus upon the lived educational experiences of older nursing students will inform

practice in multiple ways. First, it will provide nurse educators with insight about a student

population not previously known and inform pedagogy. Second, nursing programs can use the

information for recruiting older adults who want to become nurses. Third, those completing a

degree program later in life may entice other older adults to pursue their educational goals. At

the age of 89, Ketcher cited reading a newspaper article many years earlier describing an older

nurse graduate as her inspiration in becoming an RN at the age of 65 (Baker, 2016). This


information from this proposed study is significant in tailoring educational programs and design

to the older adult learner as well as potentially recruit a greater number of older students.

Conceptual Framework

The following provides an overview of scholarly literature as it relates to the proposed

study. This section starts with what is known about the older student population in general.

Afterwards a description of the framework for the study is provided. The conceptual framework

for the study is phenomenology and Parse’s Humanbecoming Paradigm. The use of

phenomenology and the Humanbecoming Paradigm for nursing education research has been well

documented and is ideal for use when describing the lived experiences of the study participants

(Bratrud, 1999; Burdett, 2008; Huston, 2011; Parse, 1992, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017).

Older Students

Literature related to older nursing students is limited to quantitative data in national

nursing surveys. To date, there are no known qualitative studies on the lived educational

experiences of neophyte registered nurses age 60 or older. To gain information about the older

student, information was obtained from qualitative studies exploring the lived educational

experiences of students age 60 or later in disciplines other than nursing. Qualitative research on

students age 60 or later is also limited in all disciplines. Qualitative researchers indicate the need

for additional research on the older student population in general and in specific disciplines

(Helterbran, 2017; Huston, 2011; Burdett, 2008; Bratrud, 1999).

Helterbran (2017) examined individuals who earned a bachelor’s degree in retirement as

part of an interpretive qualitative study. The study examined students earning a bachelor’s degree

at age 65 or older. The study does not specify the major or discipline of study for the

participants. Three themes identified from the study include (1) unfinished business, (2) cutting


the mustard (worries of success or failure), and (3) sense of legacy. Each of the participants

reported positive experiences. Some of the participants reported feeling like they had celebrity

status while attending college because of the way younger students treated them. The study also

refutes claims older learners cannot learn equally as well as younger learners. The findings are

limited because all participants were men and there were only four participants. The study

provides some narrow insight to the older adult learner. Helterbran (2017) emphasizes the

importance of additional studies because “[l]ittle exists in the literature related to older learners

who return to school to earn a degree” (p. 17).

Huston (2011) conducted a heuristic study on students 60 to 75 years old enrolled in

advanced professional education to include doctoral studies and psychoanalytic training. Seven

themes were identified to include (1) responding to inner callings, (2) personal history-

continuity and discontinuity, (3) maturing self, (4) experiences of learning, (5) becoming more

authentic, (6) most meaningful experiences, (7) and anticipating the future (p. 142). The study

indicates individuals in the last third of life (as defined in the study as those over age 60 or older)

can successfully accomplish post-secondary education. Recommendations for future study

include “[u]nderstanding the motivations and dynamics of older students in diverse fields” to

increase knowledge of individuals age 60 or older (Huston, 2011, p. 252).

In a phenomenological study, Burdett (2008) explored the lived experiences of women

age 60 or older enrolled in graduate school. Two themes were identified as (1) self and education

and (2) experiences with others. The findings were similar to those in the Huston (2011) study.

Burdett also referred to age 60 or older as the third age. Entering the third age is a time for

expanding on new opportunities “[r]ather than being a time for disengagement and solitutde”

(Burdett, 2008, p. 2). Practice recommendations from the study include (1) providing support to


meet the needs of older students, (2) post-secondary institutions should include older adults in

recruitment campaigns, and (3) explore opportunities for financial support to older students with

lower incomes. Research recommendations include exploring “the experiences of students’ age

60 and older in undergraduate” programs for better understanding of the needs of older students

(Burdett, 2008, p. 109).

The first known phenomenological study of the lived experience of older adult students

appeared in 1999, The Lived Experience of Attending College as an Older Adult: The

Phenomenological Perspective of Students Age 60 and Older (Bratrud, 1999). The participants

were enrolled in a variety of specialties or majors, such as telecommunications or literature, and

some were taking post-secondary classes with no plans for a degree. The research identified four

themes as (1) autonomous participation, (2) tenacious sensibilities, (3) enhanced self, (4) and

aging with integrity. Some recommendations for future research include (1) a longitudinal case

study exploring older learners for more than two semesters, (2) phenomenological studies

exploring (a) gender differences) and (b) cohort groups, (3) repeating the study after 2006 as

Baby Boomers enter the seventh decade of life (Bratrud, 1999).

Older Nursing Students. The following news articles were reviewed for additional

insight into the older nursing student. Sally, as described in the introduction, was a stay at home

mom forced to seek employment when her husband abandoned the family (Baker, 2016). Sally

found inspiration from a newspaper article about an older adult obtaining a general education

diploma (GED®) and becoming a licensed practical nurse later in life. Sally said the newspaper

article eventually became a source of inspiration to overcome her fears of continuing her

education. After becoming a registered nurse at age 65, Sally has practiced for more than two

decades (Baker, 2016).


Celine already held a bachelor’s and master’s degree, worked as a Japanese history

professor, and worked as a book designer and editor for more than two decades (Andrew, 2013).

After becoming a widow, Celine searched for continued inspiration in life. Celine found

inspiration in the nursing profession and became a registered nurse at age 69 (Andrew, 2013).

Shirley became a registered nurse at age 60 after her husband was diagnosed with terminal lung

cancer (Wisniewski, 2008). Shirley’s husband inspired her to pursue a lifelong dream of

becoming a nurse and lived to see her graduate (Wisniewski, 2008).

In 1979 at 29 years old, Sheryl was involved in an aviation accident with severe burns

(Ramstad, 2014). Given a 10% survival rate, Sheryl persevered in life with frequent thoughts of

the nurses who helped save her. After retiring as a judge, Sheryl was admitted into a registered

nursing program at 62 years old. Sheryl became a registered nurse and continued her education

in a doctoral nursing program (Ramstad, 2014). Doris suffered the loss of her 28-year-old

daughter, who succumbed to diabetes (Hartog, 2011). At 57, Doris was also diagnosed with

diabetes. Determined to fight for a cure, Doris started taking classes and entered a nursing

program at 60 years old. As a registered nurse at age 74, Doris attends rallies in Washington, DC

with the American Diabetes Association to find a cure (Hartog, 2011).

Sally, Celine, Shirley, Sheryl, and Doris became registered nurses at age 60 or older.

Trauma, loss, and inspiration are evident in their stories. The trauma of losing loved ones. The

trauma from an aviation accident causing the loss of the body once known. Each found

inspiration through trauma or loss. However, each story also has unique elements. Sally and

Shirley pursued lifelong dreams. Doris and Sheryl have experienced personal health-related

issues (diabetes, third degree burns). Celine and Sheryl entered nursing school after retiring from

other professions with advanced degrees. How do these previous lived experiences shape the


meaning of their educational experience in nursing? This proposed study seeks to gain additional

understand of how older nursing students, like those described, make meaning of their lived

educational experiences.

Theoretical Frame: Phenomenology

Phenomenology is a human science used to describe the meaning of lived experiences

(Billings & Halstead, 2012; Creswell, 2013; Grove, Burns, & Gray, 2013; McEwen & Wills,

2011; van Manen, 1990). Phenomenology serves as a theory and methodology. The use of

phenomenology in nursing research has been well documented (Billings & Halstead, 2012;

Grove et al., 2013; McEwen & Wills, 2011; van Manen, 1990). Phenomenology is the study of

the lived human experience (Billings & Halstead, 2012; van Manen, 1990). Phenomena refer to

the meaning of the lived experience. Phenomenologists communicate the understanding of the

meaning of phenomena through reflection and discourse, while allowing the description of

individually lived experiences. When used as pedagogy, phenomenology is fluid and flexible.

The focus is on the human experience of rather than on technical skills, describing the meaning

of lived experiences among research participants (Billings & Halstead, 2012; Creswell, 2013).

Phenomenologists identify common themes among participants who have experienced a

particular phenomenon. The phenomenon is an object of the human experience.

Phenomenologists generate descriptions of what was experienced and how it was experienced

(Creswell, 2013).

Edmund Husserl developed phenomenology to resolve conflict between human sciences

and basic sciences (Creswell, 2013; Grove, et al., 2013; van Manen, 1990). Husserl believed a

phenomenon exists only through the experience of a phenomenon. Therefore, a phenomenon

should be described rather than quantified. Husserl’s student, Martin Heidegger, expanded


phenomenology to integrate lived experiences. Heidegger believed individuals are embodied and

only know the world through the perceptions within the body. Accordingly, individuals are

situated in specific situations and time. This creates the paradoxical feeling of freeing–

constraining (Grove et al., 2013). An individual is free to develop meaning while being

constrained to a specific situation and time. Situated freedom limits the meaning of lived

experiences (Grove et al., 2013). While phenomenology has more than one philosophical

perspective, phenomenologists agree on the basic concepts of phenomenology. Those concepts

include (1) a single reality does not exist, (2) reality is subjective, (3) reality is unique for each

individual—including the researcher and the research process (Creswell, 2013; Grove et al.,

2013).

This proposed study will explore meaning of lived educational experiences of registered

nurses who became registered nurses later in life. For the proposed study, phenomenology will

guide the researcher in identifying common themes among lived educational experiences of older

nursing students (Creswell, 2013). Phenomenology will allow the researcher to describe what

was experience and how it was experienced among older nursing students.

Theoretical Frame: The Humanbecoming Paradigm

Nursing scholar, Rosemarie Parse, first published the Humanbecoming Paradigm in 1981

(McEwen & Wills, 2011; Smith & Parker, 2015). The Humanbecoming Paradigm was initially

known as the Man-Living-Health nursing theory, updated to Human Becoming: Parse’s Theory

of Nursing, updated to the Humanbecoming Theory, and is now known as the Humanbecoming

Paradigm (Parse, 1992, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016; Smith & Parker, 2015). The Humanbecoming

Paradigm has a theoretical perspective in human science (McEwen & Wills, 2011). Parse

integrated concepts from phenomenology, including those from Martin Heidegger, and from


Martha Rogers’ Science of Unitary and Irreducible Human Beings. The philosophical

assumptions of the theory present three themes to include meaning, rhythmicity, and

transcendence (McEwen & Wills, 2011; Parse, 1987, 1992, 2011, 2013; Smith & Parker, 2015).

Meaning refers to the way an individual interprets his or her reality (McEwen & Wills,

2011; Parse, 1992; Parse, 2013). Rhythmicity includes the paradoxical rhythms of revealing-

concealing, enabling-limiting, and connecting-separating (McEwen & Wills, 2011; Parse, 1992;

Parse, 2013). Individuals are revealing-concealing as they express who they are now. Individuals

reveal who they are currently while concealing “the who that one was and will be. While

revealing, one simultaneously conceals” (Parse, 1992, p. 38). When an individual makes a

choice, he or she moves in one direction or another. The individual is enabled to make a choice

but limited while moving toward the choice. Choices enable-limit an individual at the same time

by opening one door while closing another. Moving toward one phenomenon creates distance

from other phenomena. Individuals connect as they move toward a phenomenon while separating

from other phenomena (Parse, 1992; Parse, 2012). Individuals create meaning and relate to

current situations based on past knowledge and/or experience. When new knowledge or

experiences challenge previous knowledge, an individual transforms the previous

knowledge/experience with current knowledge/experience. Individuals are in a constant state of

change as new knowledge/experience molds with previous knowledge/experience. This leads to

pushing-resisting as individuals push forward they may resist knowledge/experience conflicting

with existing knowledge/experience. Powering refers to the pushing-resisting rhythm as it occurs

in all human relationships (Parse, 1992; Parse, 2012).

The Humanbecoming Paradigm includes a teaching-learning model for use in nursing

education (Parse, 2004). The Humanbecoming Teaching-Learning Model has been successful in


guiding students to learn more about themselves, providing patient centered care, and the

importance of respecting the choice of others (De Natale & Klevay, 2013; Donohue-Porter,

Forbes, White, & Baumann, 2017; Parse, 2004; Peterson-Lund, 2012; Ursel & Aquino-Russell,

2010). The teaching-learning process provides educators with an opportunity to incorporate

paradoxical concepts such as speaking-being silent and moving-being still. In practice, a student

nurse may encounter the speaking-being silent concept with a patient. When a patient describes a

lived experience, the student nurse silently listens. At that time, the student’s posture indicates

interest in the patient’s lived experience, the student is speaking-being silent.

The Humanbecoming Paradigm is unique as it offers a theoretical framework and

methodology (Parse, 2011, 2016; Peterson-Lund, 2012). The methodologies, known as

Humanbecoming Modes of Inquiry, include (1) Basic Research and (2) Applied Research. The

(1) Basic Research method includes (a) Parsesciencing (formally known as the Parse Method)

and (b) Humanbecoming Hermeneutic Method. Parsesciencing explores living experiences

through researcher-participant dialogue. The Humanbecoming Hermeneutic Method explores

living experiences from published information such as books, lyrics, or art. The (2) Applied

Research Method explores humanbecoming concepts in practice such as the Teaching-Learning

Model in education (Parse, 2004, 2011, 2016).

The Humanbecoming methodology is frequently used to guide phenomenological studies

(Bratrud, 2009; Campbell, 2008, Mitchell, 1992; Pilkington, 1997). While identifying themes

and coding the transcripts from participant interviews, the researcher can frame the themes

through Parsesciencing (Parse Method). For example, in the study conducted by Dailey (2010),

nursing students with chronic illnesses described the experience of “learning from self to care for

others” (p. 13). A nursing researcher could frame this experience under the enabling-limiting


concept. The chronic illness is limiting to the student while enabling them to connect with

patients sharing similar illnesses. Chronically ill nursing students reported having higher levels

of empathy compared to peers during clinical experiences (Dailey, 2010). Phenomenology

guided with the Parse Method will allow a comprehensive exploration of the lived experience of

older nursing students.

Research Questions

The primary research question is:

1. How do registered nurses who became registered nurses at age 60 or above make

meaning of their lived educational experiences?

Secondary related questions include:

1. What meaning did these nurses use to frame their educational experiences?

2. How did the nurses’ sense of body as related to aging influence what they did or

did not do?

An interview protocol for research participants is included in Appendix A. The primary

research question will capture the essence of the phenomena of the lived experience of older

nursing students. The secondary questions provide additional information the meaning of the

educational experience and their sense of body as it relates to aging. The primary and secondary

research questions stem from prior research on older students, phenomenology, and Parse’s

Humanbecoming Paradigm (Dailey, 2010; Del Prato, 2013; Helterbran, 2017; Jones, 2016; Parse

1992; Parse, 2012). The questions focus on the gap of literature related to the older nursing

student while exploring the lived experience of older nursing students. Answers to the research


questions will provide coherent themes of the lived experiences of older nursing students framed

through phenomenological and nursing paradigm methodologies.

Methodology

This study will utilize phenomenology guided by Parsesciencing to capture the lived

educational experiences of nurses who became nurses at age 60 or older. Phenomenology

captures the lived experiences of participants through the interpretation of the researcher

(Creswell, 2013, 2014; van Manen, 1990). Phenomenology functions as a philosophy and

research method (Grove et al., 2013). Phenomenology has specific procedures for conducting

research which are useful to novice researchers (Creswell, 2013; Moustakas, 1994).

Phenomenology is considered the most inductive form of qualitative research, making it possible

to provide generalization of the data and a good fit for the research question (Morse, 2012).

Research Design

The research design for this proposed study is phenomenology guided by the

Parsesciencing to explore the concept of the meaning of the lived educational experience of

registered nurses who became registered nurses at age 60 or later. This will be achieved through

semi-structured interviews, observation, and field notes. The interviews will be transcribed so the

researcher can fully explore the concept of the lived educational experience of older nursing

students. Data analysis will be completed through Creswell’s modified version of the Moustakas

(1994) method guided by Parsesciencing (Creswell, 2013, 2014; Moustakas, 1994; Parse, 2016).

Additional details are provided in the data analysis section.

This research design is developing and evolving (Creswell, 2013, 2014; van Manen,

1990). The research process is “indivisible, unpredictable, and everchanging” (Parse, 2016, p.

273). The aforementioned design process will change and evolve with the study as needed.


Setting and Participant Selection

The study will be conducted in the United States. The setting will be dependent on each

participant’s geographic location and availability. The researcher will meet with each participant

at a mutually agreeable location where confidentiality may be retained. According to Creswell

(2013), phenomenological studies may include three to fifteen research participants. Parse (1985,

2016) recommends two to ten participants. For this study, a total of eight participants will be

recruited. The inclusion criteria include registered nurses who:

• Graduated from nursing school at age 60 or later

• Graduated from nursing school in 2010 or later

• Currently employed in the nursing profession either part-time or full-time

• Graduated from an entry-level RN program as defined in the introduction section

Participant Selection. Qualitative research requires the use of purposeful sampling

(Creswell, 2013). Purposeful sampling is required in qualitative research because participants

“can purposely inform an understanding of the research problem and central phenomenon”

(Creswell, 2013, p. 156). A letter of invitation is in Appendix B.

The researcher will obtain institutional review board (IRB) approval prior to protect the

potential research participants and to address any potential ethical concerns. The researcher will

also take steps to ensure anonymity for the research participants.

Data Collection

Data collection will consist of interviews as they serve the purpose for data collection in

phenomenological studies (Creswell, 2013, 2014; van Manen, 1990). A minimum of three

interviews will be conducted. The initial interview will be conducted face-to-face so the

researcher can perform observations and take field notes (Creswell, 2013; van Manen, 1990).


The goal is for each interview to be conducted face-to-face. However, if subsequent interviews

cannot be completed face-to-face, other methods such as Skype, Facetime, or a telephone

interview will be utilized. The interviews will be approximately one hour each. The interviews

will be audio recorded for transcription with field notes taken during the interview.

Confidentiality will be maintained by assigning pseudonyms to each participant, keeping

research related-data password protected and locked away, and through destruction of recordings

and field notes after transcription and data analysis.

The initial interview will be conducted face-to-face. The interview will be guided by the

interview protocol in Appendix A. The second interview will validate information from the first

interview, complete any questions from the initial interview protocol, and provide a time to

clarify any details, and ask any questions regarding common themes. The third interview will

validate information from the first two interviews, ask additional questions as needed, and ask

questions regarding common themes as needed. Additional interviews will be requested if

needed.

Each interview will be transcribed with themes identified prior to conducting a

subsequent interview. This will provide an opportunity for the researcher to clarify information

with participants.

Data Analysis

Finding an experienced researcher mentor and employing structured research methods are

helpful to newer researchers to complete the data analysis for phenomenological and

Parsesciencing studies (Creswell, 2013, 2014; McEwen & Wills, 2011). Data analysis will be

completed through Creswell’s simplified version of the Moustakas (1994) method guided by

Parsesciencing (Creswell, 2013, 2014; Moustakas, 1994; Parse, 2016). The concepts in


Parsesciencing (Parse Method) “are organized in a logical, balanced way to explain human ways

of being” (McEwen & Wills, 2011, p. 198). The Creswell (2013) method includes six steps.

First, the researcher will describe his personal lived experiences with the phenomenon of

the lived experiences of older nursing students (Creswell, 2013). The goal is to help the

researcher recognize and remove personal bias as much as possible. This is similar to Husserl’s

concept of bracketing (van Manen, 1990). However, it is impossible for a researcher to

completely remove all bias from the study (Creswell, 2013; van Manen, 1990). Recognizing

personal lived experiences and potential bias help the researcher focus on the lived experience of

the participants in the study.

Second, the researcher will review transcripts from the interviews, field notes, and any

other information generated from the interview process. The researcher will use this information

to generate a list of significant statements (Creswell, 2013). Each significant statement is treated

equally as important as any other significant statement. The final list will include significant

statements without duplication or overlapping information.

Third, significant statements will be grouped together in the form of themes (Creswell,

2013). During this process, the researcher must determine which themes are essential and which

themes are incidental (van Manen, 1990).

Fourth, the researcher will “write a description of ‘what’ the participants in the study

experienced” related to the lived educational experience of older nursing students (Creswell,

2013, p. 193). Textural descriptions include verbatim examples.

Fifth, the researcher will describe how the lived educational experience occurred for the

older nursing students (Creswell, 2013). Creating the structural description requires reflection on

the setting and context of the lived experience.


In the final step, the researcher will write the composite description of lived experience

(Creswell, 2013). The composite description captures the essence of the phenomenon. It will

provide the audience with what participants experienced as older nursing students and how they

experienced it. context

The researcher will review the transcriptions and interviews from the research

participants. The researcher will code the data through phenomenology and the Humanbecoming

Paradigm. Major statements will be identified and combined into common themes among the

experiences described by the participants. The predominate themes will be identified and framed

through the posits of the Humanbecoming Paradigm (Parse, 2012). Phenomenology focuses on

the human rather than on the technical skills required for the task (Billings & Halstead, 2012).

The themes discovered from the approach will inform pedagogy for older nursing students.

Identifying, coding, and framing the themes through the Humanbecoming Paradigm will provide

answers to the research questions (Parse, 1992; Parse; 2012).

Ethical Considerations

All research studies have potential ethical considerations (Rudestam & Newton, 2015;

Creswell, 2014). In today’s world, ethical considerations are more important than ever due to

advances in technology such as social media (Creswell, 2014). Informed consent requires

potential participants to have competency, full disclosure, understanding of the study and

potential risks, and voluntary participation (Emanuuel, Abdoler, & Stunkel, n.d.). If undue

pressure or coercion is placed upon potential participants, the study is unfair and weakened with

a potential for skewed findings. For this study, the participant will determine the location. The

participant will decide where he or she and the researcher will meet. The researcher determines

the best way to manage the study in regards to participation, storing information, and collecting


data. There are always some risks associated with managing a study such as compromising data

or anonymity (Rudestam & Newton, 2015). Information shared during the interview process

should never become public as this could have negative effects on the participant. Safeguards

must stay in place to ensure anonymity.

Validity

Polkinghorne (1989) addressed validity through a series of five questions (as described

by Creswell, 2013). Creswell (2013) integrated the concepts of multiple phenomenologists to

create the following five questions to address validity.

1. Does the author convey an understanding of the philosophical tenets of

phenomenology?

2. Does the author have a clear phenomenon to study that is articulated in a concise way?

3. Does the author use procedures of data analysis as recommended by Moustakas or van

Manen?

4. Does the author convey the overall essence of the experience of the participants? Does

this essence include a description of the experience and the context in which it occurred?

5. Is the author reflexive throughout the study? (Creswell, 2013, p. 260).

To ensure validity, the researcher used the questions provided by Creswell (2013) to guide the

research proposal. Throughout the research process, the study will be reviewed for continuing

validity.

Conclusion

The proposed phenomenological study will describe the lived experiences of older

nursing students. To date, there are no qualitative studies related to the research population. This

study will provide insight into a population of nursing students currently unknown.


Phenomenology and Parse’s Humanbecoming Paradigm will serve as the theoretical framework

and methodology. Phenomenology will be the primary framework and methodology. The

findings from this research study will expand the body of nursing education knowledge. The

findings will provide nursing professionals and nurse educators with an understanding of the

lived experience of older nursing students. The findings may be used for nursing student

recruitment and potential curriculum changes directed toward educating the older nursing

student.


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Appendix A

Interview Protocol

1. Describe your career experiences prior to nursing school.

a. What made you decide to pursue nursing school?

b. What were your concerns, if any, about attending nursing school later in life?

c. Describe any times you ‘second-guessed’ your decision to attend nursing school

during the process of applying to nursing school through graduation.

2. Describe your decision-making process when you decided on a nursing school to attend.

a. How many nursing programs did you evaluate before deciding?

b. Once admitted to the nursing program, what was your biggest surprise and or shock?

c. What motivated you to continue throughout the program?

3. Describe how age affected your decisions to pursue nursing and/or continue in the program.

a. Did you or do you currently feel like age limited you in any way?

b. What was your biggest obstacle while attending nursing school?

4. Describe one thing you would change about your nursing school experience.

a. What were the most positive parts of your nursing school experience?

b. What were the most negative parts of your nursing school experience?

5. Describe your continued support system throughout the nursing school process.


Appendix B

To potential research participant,

I, Justin Fallin, am currently completing a research study the lived experiences on registered nurses who became registered nurses at the age of 60 or beyond. The study will be framed in phenomenology and Parse’s Humanbecoming Paradigm. The research study is conducted in partial fulfillment for the requirements of a Doctorate in Education (EdD) in Instructional Leadership for Nurse Educators at the University of Alabama. The study is under the direction of my chair, Dr. Graham McDougall, of the Capstone College of Nursing.

The study seeks to understand the lived educational experience of nurses who attended nursing school later in life. Your participation will help nursing education specialists, researchers, and/or scientists to better understand the phenomena of the lived experience

You qualify to participate in this study if (a) graduated from an accredited registered nursing program leading to initial licensure in the last seven years and (b) you were the age of 60 or above at the time of graduation. Participants will be asked to complete an in-person interview with Justin Fallin or a research assistant at a place of your choice. The interview should take approximately one hour. During the interview, you will be asked questions about your experiences as a novice nurse.

Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw from the study at any point. All information will remain confidential and participant names will not be associated with interview responses. The research study does not have any known risks to research participants. However, if questions regarding your experiences as a novice nurse would make you feel uncomfortable, you can prevent this by not answering the question(s) or not participating in the study.

If you have any questions or concerns about this study at any point, please feel free to contact me. Again, my name is Justin Fallin, and I may be reached at 205-555-XXXX. You may also contact the University of Alabama Institutional Review Board Participant Outreach at 1-877-820-3066.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Justin Fallin, MSN, BSN, RNJustin Fallin, MSN, BSN, RN

205-555-XXXX

*Letter of Invitation Adapted from Rudestam and Newton (2015).