Phyllis Stern
| Phyllis Stern | |
|---|---|
| Born |
September 2, 1925 San Carlos, California |
| Died | May 4, 2014 (aged 88) |
| Nationality | American |
| Fields | Nursing theory, nursing education |
| Institutions |
Dalhousie University Indiana University |
| Alma mater |
San Francisco State University University of California, San Francisco |
| Influences | Barney Glaser, Shirley Chater |
| Notable awards | Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing (2008) |
Phyllis Noerager Stern (September 2, 1925 - May 4, 2014)[1] was an American registered nurse, college professor and nursing theorist. Stern was known for her contributions to international women's health and for developing Glaserian grounded theory approaches used in nursing research. She held faculty appointments at several schools, including Dalhousie University and Indiana University. She was designated a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing in 2008.
Biography
Early life
Stern was born in San Carlos, California in 1925. She attended the Mount Zion Hospital School of Nursing under the Cadet Nurse Corps program during World War II and earned a nursing diploma. She worked on nursing units until she was almost 40 years old and returned to the College of San Mateo for an associate degree.[2]
Continuing with her studies, Stern earned a bachelor's degree from San Francisco State University. She completed a master's degree from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and landed a faculty position at California State University, Hayward. She returned to UCSF for a Doctor of Nursing Science so that she could secure a tenure-track position.[2] Stern credited Shirley Chater, a nursing professor and member of her doctoral committee, with helping her to develop as a researcher.[3]
Later contributions
Stern taught at Dalhousie University and Indiana University. She became known for her qualitative research expertise, having trained in grounded theory techniques under Barney Glaser. In discussing qualitative research techniques, Stern said that researchers often ask misguided questions of their subjects, but she said that the subjects always return to the topic that they really want to discuss.[4]
She was a co-founder of the International Council on Women’s Health Issues and she served as editor-in-chief of the organization's journal, Health Care for Women International, from 1983 to 2001.[5] As part of an 80th birthday tribute, Sandra P. Thomas of the University of Tennessee conducted an analysis of the themes apparent in Stern's editorials from Health Care for Women International. Thomas described Stern as much different than the typical journal editor, asserting that she could be "irreverent, droll, and even a bit risque at times."[6] Her writings often involved cultural issues and sometimes described the frustrations in academic work.[6]
Honors and awards
In 2008, Stern was named a Living Legend of the American Academy of Nursing.[7] The University of Pennsylvania named a distinguished lectureship in honor of her. Stern received an honorary doctorate from Dalhousie.[5]
See also
References
- ↑
- 1 2 Schreiber, Rita Sara; Stern, Phyllis Noerager (2001). Using Grounded Theory in Nursing. Springer Publishing. pp. 20–21. ISBN 0826116221. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- ↑ Bryant, Antony; Charmaz, Kathy (2010). The SAGE Handbook of Grounded Theory. Sage Publications. p. 71. ISBN 1446203743.
- ↑ Munhall, Patricia (2012). Nursing research: a qualitative perspective. Sudbury, Mass: Jones & Bartlett Learning. p. 237. ISBN 9780763785154.
- 1 2 "Phyllis N. Stern Distinguished Lectureship". University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
- 1 2 Thomas, Sandra (June–July 2006). "Talking it over with the gals: An analysis of editorials by Phyllis Stern". Health Care for Women International. Taylor and Francis. 27 (6): 481–489. doi:10.1080/07399330600770189.
- ↑ "Academy Living Legends". American Academy of Nursing. Retrieved October 15, 2014.