Women deployed: Pattern profiles of women who served during the Persian Gulf War

Women are serving in the military in increasing numbers and returning from combat situations with a wide variety of symptoms and concerns not being addressed in current healthcare situations. The study asked the question: What are the life patterns of women who were deployed during the first Persian Gulf war, in order to determine the current healthcare needs and wants of these women. It was determined that the needs and wants of these women included relief from and a cure for a wide range of symptoms that are causing physical, emotional and social limitations including sequela resulting from military sexual trauma and the loss of trust in people and institutions. The purpose of this study was to develop a unitary conceptualization of the experience of women veterans during and following the time they were deployed, for the purpose of informing nursing's knowledge base about the health care needs of women who go to war. The methodology, pattern appreciation (Cowling), a unitary transformative metaparadigm, is consistent with the concepts and assumptions of Roger's science of unitary human beings. The researcher and participants co-created metaphorical stories that served as pattern profiles of the women's lived experiences of being deployed during wartime. The participants then co-created, with the researcher, prospective pattern profiles, in which they expressed their hopes and dreams for the future. Eight women who were deployed during the period of the first Persian Gulf War participated in the study. The current literature provides us with information regarding the health care and social concerns of women who went to war prior to this study. However, there is a scarcity of information about the lived experiences of these women. Pattern Appreciation was appropriate methodology for use in this study, with one new strategy, prospective pattern profiling, to yield illuminating results that addressed the research question. Implications for nursing practice, research and education are included.