Advance Practice Nursing

This research considers the application of concepts of life's meaning to advanced practice nursing. The findings of this research are presented in a review of Victor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, a review of germane work by other theorists, and appropriate applications of the concepts covered in this literature in advanced practice nursing.

A Review of Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning

The practical manifestation of Frankl's ideas is logotherapy, which is a form of existential psychotherapy that is based on the meaning of one's existence. Frankl's logotherapy frequently is considered to be the third Viennese school of therapy, following those of Freud and Adler.

Frankl contended that human behavior is driven by a need to find meaning and purpose in one's life. Logotherapy, which derived from Frankl's contention that human behavior is driven by a need to find meaning and purpose in one's life, is a humanistic psychotherapy based in existential philosophy. Thus, the application of his concepts are especially appropriate for persons who consider their lives to be empty, meaningless, or hopeless (Gorsch, 1998).

Frankl (1984) held that human suffering can be transcended. Further, logotherapy is based in part on the premise that the process of transcending of one's suffering is not only strengthened by the mutual help of persons who are suffering, but that such mutual help often is a requisite f

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t of personal meaning refers to the fact that the realization of personal meaning always is accompanied by feelings of satisfaction and fulfillment. Whatever is meaningful must also provide satisfaction to the one seeking meaning, for in the absence of "subjective satisfaction, meaning is incomplete" (Baird, 1985, p. 119). Personal meaning may be defined as the cognizance of order, coherence, and purpose in one's existence, the pursuit and attainment of worthwhile goals, and an accompanying sense of fulfillment. The cognitive component of meaning is the base of this conception (Kelly, 1955). Frankl (1984) held that meaning is a significant and universal human motive. Further, Frankl (1984) held that loss of meaning leads to neurosis that is characterized by boredom, hopelessness, depression, and the loss of the will to live. Frankl (1984) postulated that life's meaning exists but that individuals must discover the meanings of their own lives through the exercise of responsibility, commitment to self and others, and the acceptance of future potentialities, which permits the individual to move toward a self-transcendent state and the discovery of a deeper sense of meaning and purpose. Maddi (1970) described the failure in the
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Approximate Word count = 3560
Approximate Pages = 14 (250 words per page)

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