Uncertainty in Illness
Merle H. Mishel,
Corresponding Author
Merle H. Mishel
Professor and Division Head, Mental Health Nursing at the College of Nursing, University of Arizona.
College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721.Search for more papers by this authorMerle H. Mishel,
Corresponding Author
Merle H. Mishel
Professor and Division Head, Mental Health Nursing at the College of Nursing, University of Arizona.
College of Nursing, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721.Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The middle-range nursing theory of uncertainty in illness is presented from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. The theory explains how persons construct meaning for illness events, with uncertainty indicating the absence of meaning. A model of the uncertainty theory displaying the concepts and their relationships forms the basis for the theoretical and empirical material. Discussion of the theory is organized around three major themes: the antecedents of uncertainty, the process of uncertainty appraisal and coping with uncertainty.
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