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Women’s lived experience of breast biopsy: a phenomenological study
Author(s) -
O'Mahony Mairin
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of clinical nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.94
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1365-2702
pISSN - 0962-1067
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2702.2001.00493.x
Subject(s) - interview , feeling , interpretative phenomenological analysis , lived experience , irish , breast biopsy , distress , qualitative research , medicine , psychology , breast cancer , psychotherapist , social psychology , sociology , cancer , mammography , social science , anthropology , linguistics , philosophy
• This study aimed to explore Irish women’s lived experience of breast biopsy with a view to gaining a deeper understanding of their individual experiences and the meanings that it holds for them. • A phenomenological approach from a Heideggerian hermeneutical perspective was used. Study participants were eight women aged 22–54 years who had experienced a recent breast biopsy with benign diagnosis. Data were collected using in‐depth interviewing. The work of Benner (1994), together with guidelines from Morse & Field (1996) and Burnard (1991) were used to guide the process of data analysis. • Themes which emerged from the data were: ‘Finding the lump’, ‘Waiting, not knowing’, ‘knowing’, ‘Getting back to normal’ and ‘Reflections’. Women’s feelings of initial distress followed by relief permeate these themes.