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388 UNIT IV Nursing Theories

based on the theory and the many colleagues Meleis
has mentored. Her visionary leadership throughout modest whenever you approach her. Sue is very
the world influences nursing practice, education, and quiet and never complains about any symptoms
research. or pain. However, on several occasions, you
think that Sue is in serious pain, when consider-
ing her facial expressions and sweating forehead.
CASE STUDY You think that Sue’s English skills may not allow
her to adequately communicate with health care
Sue Kim, 49 years of age, emigrated from South providers. Also, you find that Sue does not have
Korea to the United States 6 years ago. Her family many visitors—only her husband and two chil-
came to the United States to educate their chil- dren. You frequently find Sue praying while lis-
dren and moved in with family members in Los tening to some religious songs. You also find her
Angeles. Sue and her husband graduated from a sobbing silently. About 2 weeks are left until Sue
top-ranked university in South Korea, and her finishes chemotherapy. You think that you
husband also had a master’s degree in business. should do something for Sue so she will not suf-
However, their English skills were not adequate fer through pain and symptoms that could be
for them to get jobs in the United States. Instead, easily controlled with existing pain-management
they opened a Korean grocery store with the strategies. Now, you begin some preliminary
money that they brought from South Korea, and planning.
they managed to settle down in Los Angeles, ​ 1.​ Describe your assessment of the transition(s)
where a number of Koreans are living. They have Sue is experiencing. What are the types and
two children: Mina, a 25-year-old daughter who patterns of the transition(s)? What properties
is now the manager of a local shop, and Yujun, a of transitions can you identify from her case?
21-year-old son who is a college student. Both ​ 2.​ What personal, community, and societal tran-
children were born in South Korea and moved to sition conditions may have influenced Sue’s
the United States with Sue. The children had a experience? What are the cultural meanings
hard time, especially Mina, who came to the attached to cancer, cancer pain, and symptoms
United States in her senior year of high school. accompanying chemotherapy, in this situation?
However, the children finally adapted to their What are Sue’s cultural attitudes toward cancer
new environment. Now, Mina is living alone in a and cancer patients? What factors may facili-
one-bedroom apartment near downtown, and tate or inhibit her transition(s)?
Yujun is living in a university dormitory. The ​ 3.​ Consider the patterns of response that Sue
Kim’s are a religious family and attend their com- is showing. What are the indicators of healthy
munity’s Protestant church regularly. They are transition(s)? What are the indicators of
involved in many church activities. unhealthy transition(s)?
Sue and her husband have been too busy to ​ 4.​ Reflect on how Transitions Theory helped
have regular annual checkups for the past 6 years. your assessment and nursing care for Sue.
About 1 year ago, Sue began to have serious indi- ​ 5.​ If you were Sue’s nurse, what would be your
gestion, nausea, vomiting, and upper abdominal first action/interaction with her? Describe a
pain; she took some over-the-counter medicine plan of nursing care for Sue.
and tried to tolerate the pain. Last month, her
symptoms became more serious; she visited a
local clinic and was referred to a larger hospital.
Recently, she was diagnosed with stomach cancer
after a series of diagnostic tests and had surgery;
she now is undergoing chemotherapy.
You are the nurse who is taking care of Sue
during this hospitalization. Sue is very polite and