Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2000):

Precarious ordering: toward a formal theory of women's caring.

Full Abstract

Given the current societal and political trends toward increasing demands on women to provide care, a conceptualization of caring that captures the common processes of diverse women's caring experiences, and makes the consequences of caring for women's health visible, is critical for the development of a health and social policy that is responsive to women. The findings of this feminist grounded theory study go beyond the current theoretical understandings of women's caring, framed as either burden or fulfilment. The complex strategies women use to manage the dissonance created by competing and changing caring demands are revealed as a process I have named precarious ordering. This middle range theory demonstrates the power and resilience in women's management through the interdependent processes of setting boundaries, negotiating, and repatterning care. In addition, the method of theoretical sampling used in this study is explicated to move toward a formal theory applicable to diverse women's caring in a wide range of health, illness, and developmental situations.

Author information

Author/s: Wuest, J (J);

Affiliation: University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, Canada. wuest(-atsign-)unb.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Health care for women international (Health Care Women Int), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: -2001 Jan-Feb; vol 22 (issue 1-2) : pp 167-93

Dates: Created 2002/01/29; Completed 2002/02/15; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 11813794, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adaptation, Psychological Adult Caregivers - psychology Cognitive Dissonance Conflict (Psychology) Empathy Family - psychology Female Feminism Gender Identity Humans

Internal-External Control Models, Psychological Motivation Negotiating Nursing Methodology Research Power (Psychology) Psychological Theory Social Support Social Values Women - psychology Workload

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