| Learning Objective #1: Identify concerns of nursing students harboring the eating disorder called bulimia | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Describe issues in the classroom that trigger bingeing and purging episodes in nursing students suffering with bulimia |
The Method: A phenomenological approach was used to better understand the “lived experiences” of the participants. Semi-structured face to face interviews were performed. The interviews were taped and then transcribed to ensure accuracy. Field notes were kept immediately following the interview as part of the data collection.
The Findings: Both participants reported being plagued by bulimia as early as high school and continued to be tormented with the eating disorder at their present age. They survived by bingeing, purging and using laxatives to cope especially throughout their undergraduate studies. According to the participants the school environment caused them to resort to patterns of bingeing and purging to “survive “ and “get through”. The ten main themes identified were: Control, Perfectionism, Body Image, Ineffective Coping, Insecurity with Faculty, Frustration, Obsession “Must Get an A”, Weight Conscious Appearance in High School and in the Undergraduate Program, Control Measures with Eating-Bingeing, Purging, Starving, and Lack of Nurturing.
Discussion: Nursing faculties are in a perfect profession to detect the early signs of eating disorders. Faculty can play a valuable part in aiding the student by using an approach to reduce some of the stress in the classroom environment. Further qualitative research is definitely needed to gain even a better understanding of these students who are living each day with this dreadful debilitating disease and other eating disorders. Nursing faculty, others in the healthcare and education field unquestionably can be instrumental in supporting and helping students with these guileful diseases.