Teenagers--Medical care

This is a phenomenological research study of the adolescent's experience of being accepted by a nurse. Six adolescents were selected who acknowledged and articulated their experience of being accepted by a nurse. The conceptual framework is derived from Paterson and Zderad's (1988) Humanistic Theory of Nursing. van Manen's (1984) approach to phenomenology was used to guide this inquiry. Data were generated using exploratory, in-depth, face-to-face interviews. The adolescent's experience of being accepted by a nurse is expressed by three metathemes: (1) the nurse is a friend; (2) the nurse's caring helps the adolescent feel better; and (3) the adolescent feels comfortable with the nurse. The implications of acceptance for nursing education, practice, and research are discussed.