The patient's narrative of suffering: a path to health? An interpretative research synthesis on narrative understanding

The aim of this interpretative research synthesis was to develop a theoreti cal understanding of how a narrative approach in a caring conversation enab les the patient to understand and find meaning in suffering, and how this i n turn may be a path to health. The material consisted of 23 articles publi shed between 1990 and 1997 in caring and nursing journals. The synthesis is summed up in a model for narrative understanding in a caring conversation consisting of three phases in which the patient is encouraged: (i) to tell stories describing why the suffering has come about, how things are at pres ent, and what is wanted and needed; (ii) to make up a narrative of sufferin g that follows the actual course of events; and (iii) to reconnect to their Life history, that is to reflect on the point or lesson to be learned in o rder to achieve a new wholeness. The model may be linked with and used in t he clinical setting, and it also raises questions for further research in t he area of communication in health care.