Nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors at referral hospitals in Ethiopia: A mixed-methods approach

BACKGROUND

Caring plays a vital role in nursing and serves as an indicator of quality. Nurse caring behaviors are directed towards patients' safety and wellbeing. Nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors are affected by different factors. Understanding the factors linked to how nurses perceive caring behaviors is crucial for enhancing the quality of care. The aim of this study was to examine the factors associated with nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors and gain a more comprehensive understanding.

METHODS

A multicenter sequential explanatory mixed-methods study was conducted among medical-surgical nurses at three referral hospitals in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Quantitative data were collected using a pretested self-administered survey package including the Amharic version of the Caring Behaviors Inventory-16. Qualitative interviews using semi-structured, open-ended questions were conducted after the survey to complement and clarify the quantitative results, facilitating integrate through a connecting approach. A multiple linear regression model was used to examine the relationship between nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors and associated factors. The qualitative data was examined to find meaningful patterns using codebook thematic analysis. This method was deductive and followed the guidelines by Braun and Clarke, building on the findings from the quantitative results.

RESULTS

The overall mean of nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors was 4.75. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that female sex (b = 0.300, P = 0.004), age (b = 0.028, P = 0.001), nurse staffing (b=-0.115, P = 0.001), work-related stress (b = 0.298, P = 0.003), and job satisfaction (b=-0.254, P = 0.016) were associated with nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors. The codebook thematic analysis generated three themes, caring is universal and fundamental in nursing, impediments to provision of comprehensive care, and perception of the work conditions. The findings of the qualitative data complemented the results of the quantitative data.

CONCLUSION

Discrepancies between nurses' expectations and the actual working environment may create uncertainty in care provision and impact quality-of-care. Strategies to harmonize the nurses' working environment should consider work-related factors.

Job satisfaction and psychological factors influence the caring behavior in nurses in Sierra Leone: a cross-sectional study

Objective

Identifying the status of caring behavior and its influencing factors in nurses is crucial for improving the quality of care for patients. However, there is a lack of studies on this in Sierra Leone. This study explored the status of caring behavior and associated factors in nurses working in Sierra Leone.

Study design

A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted from October 3 to December 15, 2022, with clinical nurses recruited through convenience sampling.

Methods

The participants included 360 nurses from various nursing departments from 12 hospitals in Sierra Leone. Measurements included a general information questionnaire, the Caring Behavior Inventory, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, McCloskey/Mueller Satisfaction Scale and Zung's Self-Rating Anxiety Scale. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance and independent-sample t-tests, Pearson's correlation analyses, and multiple regression analyses were performed.

Results

Caring behavior score was 128.97 (SD 11.967); it significantly and positively correlated with job satisfaction and resilience and negatively correlated with anxiety. Linear regression analysis showed that resilience, job satisfaction, anxiety, daily working time, and position were the main predictors of caring behavior.

Conclusion

The level of caring behavior in nurses in Sierra Leone was moderate. Resilience and job satisfaction significantly and positively predicted nurses' caring behavior. Anxiety, daily working time, and position are important factors of caring behaviors.

Implications for practice

It is suggested to create a conducive working environment, reduce the excessive workload of nurses, enhance their positive psychological state, and their job satisfaction by providing recognition and rewards to improve the level of nurses' caring behavior.

Critically ill patients' experiences of nursing care and the effect on their personhood: A retrospective study

AIM

This study aims to report patients' experiences of nursing care in the critical care unit and the resulting effect of such care on the personhood of patients.

DESIGN AND METHOD

The study adopted a qualitative design and aimed to include both descriptive and exploratory information. It involved a single participant group comprising ten previously critically ill patients with whom retrospective, semi-structured interviews were conducted in a natural setting during 2018. Private hospitals in Gauteng, South Africa, were targeted for data collection.

RESULTS

The findings of this study were categorised and described according to Kitwood's conceptualisation of person-centred care. Five categories were identified by patients as impacting their personhood and perceived person-centred care.

CONCLUSION

Nurses ability to support perceived personhood of patients during person-centred care is integral to the betterment of the patient. Patient's experiences of nursing care can often be affected if they perceive their personhood as not being valued by nurses. This study creates increased awareness of these components to ensure that patient-nurse relationships are established adequately to meet both the patients' and the nurses' needs.

Perception of Caring Behaviors and Associated Factors Among Nurses Working in Harar Hospitals, Eastern Ethiopia

Introduction

Perception of caring behavior is very necessary to enhance human life, and the provision of health care, and is considered a basic key in the provision of healthcare facilities. Even though all nursing interventions are verified through nurse caring behaviors, poor perception of caring behaviors reduces the well-being of the patients.

Objective

The objective of this study was to assess the perception of caring behaviors and associated factors among nurses working in Harar Hospitals, Eastern Ethiopia.

Methods

An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 465 randomly selected nurses. Data were collected by using a pretested and structured self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistics including frequency table, mean, standard deviation, and percentage were employed. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the good perception of caring behaviors. Variables with a p-value of < .05 were considered statistically significant.

Results

This study revealed that the proportion of nurses who had a good perception of caring behaviors was found to be 63.4% (95% CI: 58.5-68.2%). High-level education (AOR = 2.98, 95% CI: 1.28-4.34), low workload (AOR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.16-3.05), satisfied with a job (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.42-4.01), good relation with coworkers (AOR = 4.56, 95% CI: 2.15-9.67) were significantly associated with a good perception of caring behaviors.

Conclusions

This study reported that the proportion of nurses who had a good perception of caring behaviors was 63.4%. Educational level, workload, job satisfaction, and joint participation in the decision-making process were factors significantly associated with good perceptions of nurses caring behavior. Therefore, nurses caring behavior is enhanced by increasing educational levels, creating a conducive working environment, and making nursing active in the decision-making process to improve the perception of nurses toward nurses caring behavior.

Investigating the relationship between workplace stressors and caring behaviours of nursing staff in inpatient wards: A cross-sectional study

AIM

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of various job stressors on caring behaviours of nursing staff.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional nationwide study.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, descriptive-correlational study was conducted on 260 nurses employed in the inpatient wards of seven teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran during December 2019-February 2020. The participants were selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the nursing stress scale and the caring behaviours inventory. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 20 using descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The results of regression analysis indicated that job stress is correlated with nurses' caring behaviours (β = -.36; p = .001). Factors such as workload (β = -.27; p = .001), uncertainty about patient treatment (β = -.26; p = .017) and lack of emotional preparation (β = -.20; p = .017) were the important stressors associated with nurses' caring behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS

According to the results, high levels of perceived job stress due to workload, uncertainty about patient treatment and lack of emotional preparation are associated with lower levels of nurses' caring behaviours.

IMPACTS

The findings of this study showed that to provide patients with optimal caring behaviours, hospital and nursing managers should design interventions to reduce nurses' job stressors, especially in terms of their interactions with their colleagues and physicians.

The Role of the Nurse in Informed Consent to Treatments: An Observational-Descriptive Study in the Padua Hospital

BACKGROUND

The process to obtain valid informed consent in healthcare reflects many aspects. Healthcare professionals that take care of the patient must provide him all the necessary information and verify his understanding, considering individual characteristics. Nurses are one of the main participants in this process.

OBJECTIVE

This study assesses nurses' perceptions of their role in the informed consent process.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An observational study involving 300 nurses operating in 13 wards of the Padua Hospital, through the submitting of a questionnaire in the period November-December 2018.

RESULTS

The final sample is made up of 206 nurses-27 males (13.11%) and 179 females (86.89%). Work experience, on average 15 years, is significant in determining the answers to questions about opinions and experiences. Age is significant in determining how often nurses provide information to the patient's family members about the actions to be taken after discharge. The ward was decisive in the responses related to information provided to patients on the nursing care level and the actions to be taken after discharge, and the definition of the nurse's duties.

CONCLUSIONS

The data collected show the need for interventions to reduce the causes of difficult that the nurse has in informing patients.

Professional quality of life and caring behaviours among clinical nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To investigate the professional quality of life and caring behaviours among clinical nurses in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also examined the influence of the nurses' socio-demographic and professional characteristics on the professional quality of life. Moreover, the study examined the influence of professional quality of life on caring behaviour among the nurses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND

Caring is the core of the nursing profession and considered the heart of the humanistic clinical nursing practice. However, the work nature of the clinical nurses, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to challenge their professional quality of life and caring behaviours. The factors influencing the professional quality of life and caring behaviours of clinical nurses have not been extensively explored.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, descriptive study.

METHODS

A purposive sample of 375 clinical nurses in three academic medical centres in Saudi Arabia were surveyed using the professional quality of life version 5 and the short-form 24-item Caring Behavior Inventory from May-August 2020. A standard multiple regression analysis was performed to investigate the predictors of the professional quality of life and caring behaviour. This study adhered to the recommendations of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines.

RESULTS

The majority of the respondents reported average level of compassion satisfaction (57.9%), burnout (54.4%) and secondary traumatic stress (66.9%) in the professional quality of life domains. The result also showed highest degree of caring in terms of 'assurance of human presence' while lowest in the 'knowledge and skills' in four subscales of caring behaviour. The following variables significantly predicted compassion satisfaction: education, area of assignment and position. Age, education and religion were identified as significant predictors of burnout while religion, nationality and position were significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress. Positive and negative domains of professional quality of life influenced the caring behaviours among clinical nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of the study, clinical nurses exhibited moderate level of professional quality of life and correlates to their caring behaviours. Moreover, clinical nurses' demographic characteristics predicted their professional quality of life and caring behaviours.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The importance of ensuring good professional quality of life and caring behaviour among clinical nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic is underscored. Nursing leaders can utilise this baseline evidence and apply programmes for clinical nurses to tackle professional quality of life issues and enhance caring behaviours.

Paying the Caring Tax: The Detrimental Influences of Gender Expectations on the Development of Nursing Education and Science

Nursing is not exempt from the social influences that affect other professions, and may in fact be rendered more susceptible thereto. Gender has potential to be such an influence, as its construction is based upon both social and historical factors. Gender has significant implications for nursing. Given that many aspects of the nursing profession remain largely female-dominated, it is sometimes assumed that otherwise common issues of gender bias are not a consideration. In fact, traditional binary gender roles and norms are often imposed and reinforced within nursing education and science, potentially limiting both diversity and innovation in the profession.

Correlation between Ethical Intelligence, Quality of Work Life and Caring Behaviour of Paediatric Nurses

AIMS

The aim of this study is to determine correlation between paediatric nurses' "ethical intelligence" with "quality of work life" and "caring behaviour."

DESIGN

Descriptive correlational study.

METHODS

Data were collected with EIQ, QWL and CBI. Two hundred and one nurses and 201 caregivers of children hospitalized in a paediatric hospital in Tehran were randomly selected as participants. Data were analysed by SPSS. The data were collected in 2019.

RESULTS

Comparison of the subscale "ethical intelligence" with the scale "quality of work life" indicated a significant positive correlation between "honesty" with "job and carrier satisfaction" and "forgiveness" with "job and carrier satisfaction". In addition, findings showed a significant positive correlation between "honesty" and "control at work" and between "accountability" with "home-work interface." There was no significant correlation between "ethical intelligence" and "caring behaviours" and between nurses' "quality of work life" and "caring behaviours." Structural equation modelling showed a correlation between nurses' "ethical intelligence" and "quality of work life."

Patient's Dignity: Viewpoints of Patients and Nurses in Hospitals

Much of the available research on perceptions of patient dignity either is qualitative in type or explores them in specific patient groups, such as elderly patients, cancer patients, terminally-ill patients, and adolescent patients. The present study addresses nurses' and adult patients' views on patient dignity. A total of 400 individuals (200 nurses and 200 patients) from 39 internal and surgical units from four hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences participated in the study. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficient using SPSS v. 23.0. A significant difference between nurses' and patients' points of view was identified in relation to four domains: the importance of privacy (p < 0.001); attention to patient autonomy (p < 0.001); respect for patients (p < 0.001); and communication between nurses and patients (p < 0.001). In order to maintain patients' dignity in practice, nurses must become better acquainted with patients' expectations. The questionnaire assessing respect for patient's dignity developed in the present study is a reliable and valid instrument for this purpose.

Empowerment in the perioperative dialog

Aim

To describe how the nurse anaesthetist empowers the patient in the perioperative dialogue.

Design

A qualitative descriptive design with interviews with 12 nurse anaesthetist (NA).

Method

A hermeneutic text interpretation with a foundation in Gibson's empowerment model.

Result

The results highlight Gibson's nursing domain: Helper, Supporter, Counsellor, Educator, Resource Consultant, Resource Mobilizer, Facilitator, Enabler and Advocate. The overall understanding is revealed as a relationship can be built through closeness between the patient and the NA. The NA helps the patient master the situation by talking to and touching the patient. The patient is helped to find their own strengths and to cope with their fears. The patients decide over their own bodies. When the patients do not want to or cope with protecting themselves, the NA protects and represents the patient.

Analysis of graduating nursing students' moral courage in six European countries

Background:

Moral courage is defined as courage to act according to one’s own ethical values and principles even at the risk of negative consequences for the individual. In a complex nursing practice, ethical considerations are integral. Moral courage is needed throughout nurses’ career.

Aim:

To analyse graduating nursing students’ moral courage and the factors associated with it in six European countries.

Research design:

A cross-sectional design, using a structured questionnaire, as part of a larger international ProCompNurse study. In the questionnaire, moral courage was assessed with a single question (visual analogue scale 0–100), the questionnaire also covered several background variables.

Participants and research context:

The sample comprised graduating nursing students (n = 1796) from all participating countries. To get a comprehensive view about graduating nursing students’ moral courage, the views of nurse managers (n = 538) and patients (n = 1327) from the same units in which the graduating nursing students practised were also explored, with parallel questionnaires.

Ethical considerations:

Ethical approvals and research permissions were obtained according to national standards in every country and all participants gave their informed consent.

Results:

The mean of graduating nursing students’ self-assessed moral courage was 77.8 (standard deviation 17.0; on a 0–100 scale), with statistically significant differences between countries. Higher moral courage was associated with many factors, especially the level of professional competence. The managers assessed the graduating nursing students’ moral courage lower (66.5; standard deviation 18.4) and the patients slightly higher (80.6; standard deviation 19.4) than the graduating nursing students themselves.

Discussion and conclusions:

In all countries, the graduating nursing students’ moral courage was assessed as rather high, with differences between countries and populations. These differences and associations between moral courage and ethics education require further research.

The nurse anesthetist perioperative dialog

Background

In the perioperative dialogue, pre-, intra- and postoperatively, the patient shares their history. In the dialogue, the nurse anesthetist (NA) gets to witness the patient’s experiences and can alleviate the patients’ suffering while waiting for, or undergoing surgery. The aim of this study was to describe the nurse anesthetist’s experiences of the perioperative dialogue.

Methods

The study had a qualitative design. Interviews were conducted with 12 NA and analyzed with interpretive content analysis. The methods were conducted in accordance with the COREQ guidelines.

Results

In the result, three categories emerge: A mutual meeting (the preoperative dialogue) where the patient and the NA through contact create a relationship. The NA is present and listens to the patient, to give the patient confidence in the NA. In the category, On the basis of the patient’s needs and wishes (the intraoperative dialogue), the body language of the NA, as well as the ability to read the body language of the patient, is described as important. In the category, To create a safe situation (the postoperative dialogue) the NA ensures that the patient has knowledge of what has happened and of future care in order to restore the control to the patient.

Conclusion

The patient is met as a person with their own needs and wishes. It includes both a physical and a mental meeting. In a genuine relationship, the NA can confirm and unreservedly talk with the patient. When the patients leave their body and life in the hands of the NA, they can help the patients to find their inherent powers, which allows for participation in their care. Understanding the patient is possible when entering in a genuine relationship with the patient and confirm the patient. The perioperative dialogue forms a safety for the patients in the operating environment.

Dignity, privacy, respect and choice-A scoping review of measurement of these concepts within acute healthcare practice

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To synthesise and review literature related to instruments that measure psychosocial aspects of fundamental care in acute hospital care settings.

BACKGROUND

Psychosocial aspects of care often receive less priority in terms of care provision in acute care environments. At the same time, if these elements are overlooked, there may be consequences. Despite the availability of many instruments designed to measure specific aspects of care, these concepts are often not studied within the broader context of fundamentals of care, but rather coexist as isolated explorations of specific subelements.

DESIGN

A scoping review was conducted, based on Arksey & O'Malley's (2005) methodological framework and following the PRISMA checklist.

METHODS

Using the five recommended steps-identifying the research question; identifying relevant studies; study selection; charting the data; and summarising and reporting the results-three databases were searched: MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL and EMBASE, in February 2019.

RESULTS

Following independent screening by two of the authors, 48 papers were included. From these 48 papers, 33 instruments were identified. Only five of these tools thoroughly assessed psychosocial aspects elements of care (dignity, respect, privacy and patients' choice) through dedicated items.

CONCLUSIONS

This review provides nurses with a synthesis of 33 instruments that assess the psychosocial aspects of care. This provides an important resource to guide measurement of dignity, respect, privacy and patients' choice. The findings also provide guidance to future research in this field.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This paper reviews and synthesises these instruments to provide a resource to nurses to inform their decisions and practice around measurement and evaluation of these key aspects of care. This provides a useful guide to measure and monitor the improvement of fundamental care delivery in practice and points to strengths and weaknesses of the instruments concerned.

The Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale: translation and cross-cultural validation into Greek

AIM

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Interaction with Disabled Persons Scale (IDPS) into Greek.

METHODS

The IDPS was forward and back-translated by two bilingual physiotherapists and a Greek-English translator, respectively. Greek-speaking health professionals provided modifications in order to develop the final version of the Scale. Health professionals filled in the Greek version of the IDPS and the Caring Behaviors Inventory (for criterion validity). The factors of the Greek IDPS were extracted as well. After 8-10 days, the scale was re-distributed to the same health professionals (test-retest reliability) and to a general population sample (discriminant validity).

RESULTS

Eighty-seven health professionals (36 ± 7.6 years) and 80 general population participants (44 ± 11.6 years) participated. There was a trend for the Greek IDPS variability to predict the variability of the Caring Behaviors Inventory (r² = 0.05; p = 0.054), but the coefficient of determination was low. An explanatory factor analysis extracted four factors explaining 66.66% of the total variance, confirmed by reliability analysis. The health care professionals had a significantly lower score than the general population in the Greek IDPS (mean difference: -11.0; confidence interval: -7.3 to -14.7), indicating familiarisation with the management of people with disability. The scale reliability and internal consistency were excellent; ICC_(2,1) = 0.92 (confidence interval: 0.87-0.95) and Cronbach's α = 0.96 respectively. No ceiling or floor effects were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Substantial validity and reliability were observed for the Greek IDPS to assess Greek health professionals' attitudes towards people with disabilities.Implications for rehabilitationThe Greek IDPS version was shown to be comprehensible, and has demonstrated a sufficient amount of validity and reliability for assessing the perceptions and attitudes of Greek health professionals towards people with disabilities.Exploring attitudes towards people with disabilities in Greek-speaking populations, especially health professionals, with a scale such as the Greek IDPS is very important as it can help promote positive changes in approaches towards disability.

Testing a Communication Assessment Tool for Ethically Sensitive Scenarios: Protocol of a Validation Study

Background

Although well-designed instruments to assess communication during medical interviews and complex encounters exist, assessment tools that differentiate between communication, empathy, decision-making, and moral judgment are needed to assess different aspects of communication during situations defined by ethical conflict. To address this need, we developed an assessment tool that differentiates competencies associated with practice in ethically challenging situations. The competencies are grouped into three distinct categories: communication skills, civility and respectful behavior, clinical and ethical judgment and decision-making.

Objective

The overall objective of this project is to develop an assessment tool for ethically sensitive scenarios that measures the degree of respect for the attitudes and beliefs of patients and family members, the demands of clinical decision-making, and the success in dealing with ethical conflicts in the clinical context. In this article, we describe the research method we will use during the pilot-test study using the neonatal context to provide validity evidence to support the features of the Assessment Communication Tool for Ethics (ACT4Ethics) instrument.

Methods

This study is part of a multiphase project designed according to modern validity principles including content, response process, internal structure, relation to other variables, and social consequences. The design considers threats to validity such as construct underrepresentation and factors exerting nonrandom influence on scores. This study consists of two primary steps: (1) train the raters in the use of the new tool and (2) pilot-test a simulation using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination. We aim to obtain a total of 90 independent assessments based on the performance of 30 trainees rated by 15 trained raters for analysis. A comparison of raters’ responses will allow us to compute a measure of interrater reliability. We will additionally compare the results of ACT4Ethics with another existing instrument.

Results

This study will take approximately 18 months to complete and the results should be available by September 2019.

Conclusions

ACT4Ethics should allow clinician-teachers to assess and monitor the development of competency of trainees’ judgments and communication skills when facing ethically sensitive clinical situations. The instrument will also guide the provision of meaningful feedback to ensure that trainees develop specific communication, empathy, decision-making, and ethical competencies.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

PRR1-10.2196/12039

An exploration of factors influencing inpatient nurses’ care behaviour in an acute hospital setting

Objective

To examine factors influencing caring behaviour of nurses in Singapore.

Design

Descriptive correlational study using Care Behaviour Inventory (CBI-24) questionnaire to assess nurses’ perceptions of their caring behaviours.

Setting

Acute tertiary hospital in Singapore.

Participants

A convenience sample of 167 full time registered nurses working in subsidized wards, with more than 1 year of experience in current practising ward were recruited.

Main outcome measure(s)

Nurses’ perception of their caring behaviours.

Results

Data analysis yielded a mean CBI score of 123.11 out of 144, indicating that nurses had a positive perception of their caring behaviours. Among the 4 CBI subscales, Respectfulness and Connectedness components of CBI were ranked the lowest with a mean score of 4.2 and 4.9, respectively. This indicated that although nurses generally performed adequate caring during patient care, they appeared to be lacking in the expressive aspect of caring. Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found among subgroups of nationality, ethnicity, religion and education level. Nurses’ perception of their caring behaviours was positively correlated to their age and total working experience. Linear regression showed that age, religion, education level positively influenced nurses’ perception of their caring behaviours.

Conclusion

Findings from this study raise awareness to the caring behaviours that nurses were lacking in and also offer valuable insights to the potential factors influencing nurses’ caring behaviours. This information serves as a foundational knowledge to guide the development of interventions aimed to promote patient-centred care and improve quality of future nursing care.

Patient Satisfaction Is Linked to Nursing Workload in a Singapore Hospital

No studies have examined the association between patient satisfaction and the allocation of nursing care hours using a workload management system. The aim of this study is to examine the correlation between inpatients’ perceived satisfaction with nursing care and nursing workload management in a Singapore hospital. A secondary data analysis was performed based on the results of 270 patients’ perceived satisfaction measured by the Revised Humane Caring Scale and nursing workload management data extracted from the TrendCare Patient Acuity System. Data were collected from March to October 2013. There were weak positive ( rs = .212 to rs = .120) and negative ( rs = −.120 to rs = −.196) correlations between patient satisfaction and nursing workload. Nursing leaders should build positive work environment through maximizing efficient resource allocation and adequate staffing to deliver safe patient care. Future studies could involve other patient outcomes such as incidences of fall and pressure ulcer.

Reconciling conceptualisations of the body and person-centred care of the older person with cognitive impairment in the acute care setting

In this article, we sought reconciliation between the "body-as-representation" and the "body-as-experience," that is, how the body is represented in discourse and how the body of older people with cognitive impairment is experienced. We identified four contemporary "technologies" and gave examples of these to show how they influence how older people with cognitive impairment are often represented in acute care settings. We argued that these technologies may be mediated further by discourses of ageism and ableism which can potentiate either the repressive or productive tendencies of these technologies resulting in either positive or negative care experiences for the older person and/or their carer, including nurses. We then provided examples from research of embodied experiences of older people with dementia and of how nurses and other professionals utilized their inter-bodily experiences to inform acts of caring. The specificity and individuality of these experiences were more conducive to positive care experiences. We conclude the article by proposing that the act of caring is one way nurses seek to reconcile the "body-as-representation" with the "body-as-experience" to mitigate the repressive effects of negative ageism and ableism. The act of caring, we argue, is the essence of caring enacted through the provision of person-centred care which evokes nurses to respond appropriately to the older person's "otherness," their "variation of being" while enabling them to enact a continuation of themselves and their own version of normality.

The impact of occupational stress on nurses' caring behaviors and their health related quality of life

Background

Nursing is perceived as a strenuous job. Although past research has documented that stress influences nurses’ health in association with quality of life, the relation between stress and caring behaviors remains relatively unexamined, especially in the Greek working environment, where it is the first time that this specific issue is being studied. The aim was to investigate and explore the correlation amidst occupational stress, caring behaviors and their quality of life in association to health.

Methods

A correlational study of nurses (N = 246) who worked at public and private units was conducted in 2013 in Greece. The variables were operationalized using three research instruments: (1) the Expanded Nursing Stress Scale (ENSS), (2) the Health Survey SF-12 and (3) the Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results

Contact with death, patients and their families, conflicts with supervisors and uncertainty about the therapeutic effect caused significantly higher stress among participants. A significant negative correlation was observed amidst total stress and the four dimensions of CBI. Certain stress factors were significant and independent predictors of each CBI dimension. Conflicts with co-workers was revealed as an independent predicting factor for affirmation of human presence, professional knowledge and skills and patient respectfulness dimensions, conflicts with doctors for respect for patient, while conflicts with supervisors and uncertainty concerning treatment dimensions were an independent predictor for positive connectedness. Finally, discrimination stress factor was revealed as an independent predictor of quality of life related to physical health, while stress resulting from conflicts with supervisors was independently associated with mental health.

Conclusion

Occupational stress affects nurses’ health-related quality of life negatively, while it can also be considered as an influence on patient outcomes.

A descriptive quantitative study on multi-ethnic patient satisfaction with nursing care measured by the Revised Humane Caring Scale

AIM

To determine patients' satisfaction with nursing care during hospitalization.

BACKGROUND

Limited studies reporting patients' satisfaction with quality of nursing care in Singapore.

METHOD

A descriptive study was conducted in a tertiary hospital in Singapore.

RESULTS

Data were collected from 270 adult patients using the Revised Humane Caring Scale. Patients were moderately satisfied with the nursing care. There were significant differences of patients' level of satisfaction between/among socio-demographic subgroups including ethnicity, gender, reasons for admission and disciplines. Chinese patients were least satisfied with nursing care. The patients were most satisfied with 'Respecting patient's feeling' (mean=82.29, SD=14.50) and least satisfied with 'Communication and participation' (mean=62.00, SD=16.46).

CONCLUSION

Our results reinforced the need to pay more attention to patient information provision and effective communication, which could improve patient satisfaction. The multi-ethnic patients valued respect as an influential attribute in quality nursing care.

The perioperative dialogue--a model of caring for the patient undergoing a hip or a knee replacement surgery under spinal anaesthesia

The aim of the study was to describe how patients undergoing either a hip or a knee replacement surgery under spinal anaesthesia experienced to be a part of the perioperative dialogue as an ideal model of caring. A qualitative approach was chosen as a method. Nineteen patients undergoing either a hip or a knee replacement surgery under spinal anaesthesia participated. These patients and their nurse anaesthetists had three perioperative dialogues in the pre-, intra- and postoperative phase of care. Data were collected by means of conversational interviews by four voluntary nurse anaesthetists who wrote the dialogues from each perioperative phase. The text from the collected data was analysed by qualitative, latent content analysis. The findings of the analysis show three identified themes: Suffering while waiting for surgery (preoperative dialogue), Continuity creates togetherness (intraoperative dialogue) and Uniqueness - the patient has been seen (postoperative dialogue). The findings show evidence that the perioperative dialogue is an ideal model of caring and serves the patients' desires of individual and dignified care. The patients have a deep appreciation when there is time to develop a caring encounter with his or her own nurse. When a caring encounter has been established, the patient is involved in his or her own care. This model of caring offers the perioperative nurses a new way of caring and arouses reflections about their main task caring for the suffering patient. The continuity created by the perioperative dialogue probably has an influence on both patient satisfaction and patient safety.

Difference between received and expected knowledge of patients undergoing knee or hip replacement in seven European countries

The purpose of the study was to examine received and expected knowledge of patients with knee/hip arthroplasty in seven European countries. The goal was to obtain information for developing empowering patient education. The data were collected (during 2009-2012) from patients (n = 943) with hip/knee arthroplasty prior to scheduled preoperative education and before discharge with the Received Knowledge of hospital patient scale (RKhp) and Expected Knowledge of hospital patient scale (EKhp). Patients' knowledge expectations were high but the level of received knowledge did not correspond to expectations. The difference between received and expected knowledge was higher in Greece and Sweden compared with Finland (p < .0001, p < .0001), Spain (p < .0001, p = .001), and Lithuania (p = .005, p = .003), respectively. Patients' knowledge expectations are important in tailoring patient education. To achieve high standards in the future, scientific research collaboration on empowering patient education is needed between European countries.

Dignity as an empirical lifeworld construction-in the field of surgery in Denmark

Patient dignity is a complex yet central phenomenon. Disrespect for dignity can mean retention of sick role, loss of self-care and control, decreased participation and therefore influence healing. At the same time, nurses have an obligation to respect dignity, and patients expect it. In clinical practice, with the focus on efficiency and economy, dignity can be compromised. The surgical patient may be particularly vulnerable to loss of dignity, when focus is solely on surgical procedure, efficiency, and productivity. The aim of the article is to describe the characteristics of the importance of dignity perceived by four surgical patients at a university hospital in Denmark. The hermeneutic phenomenological approach of Van Manen is used to analyse and interpret data collected from in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews explored the lived experience with two women and two men who had undergone a surgical intervention in a Danish vascular surgery department. The thematic analysis led to the basic theme: "To be an important person" illustrated by the themes: "Being a co-player," "Over exposure," and "To swallow the bitter pill." The findings provide a better understanding of patient's perspective of dignity, which is characterized by a complex interaction of several factors. Nurses should be concerned with balancing expectations, values, and opinions to maintain dignity in nursing and create a common platform for collaboration. This collaboration makes it possible for patients to be involved and have a voice in relation to nursing, treatment, and administering of time even though it could be at the expense of the terms of the system.

Ethical issues in hospital clients' satisfaction: a Brazilian perspective

BACKGROUND

Health institutions can be considered as complex organizations because they need to be prepared to receive and satisfy patients. This clientele differs from other organizations because the use of hospital services is not a matter of choice. Another motive for this difference is that, most often, the patients do not determine what services and products they will use during their stay. Although they are the clients, usually, health professionals decide which service or product they will consume. Hence, nursing care delivery based on competence, efficiency and ethics represents a challenge.

OBJECTIVE

This critical reflection is meant to draw attention to the relevance of the ethical aspects of nurses' actions involving patients' satisfaction with nursing care.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This paper highlights the responsibility of nurses to develop ethical actions in their commitment to manage and provide care with quality, commitment and efficiency.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

Possibilities of actions needed emerged from this discussion, such as the provision of reliable and updated information to clients, respect for standards, routines of care, exams and others, as well as clients' education, in order to further their involvement and participation in decisions concerning the care planned for them.

CONCLUSION

The adoption of this paradigm entails a change in the performance of nurses' management and care roles, which may have to observe attitudes previously disregarded in most services provided.

Student nurses' views on respect towards service users - an interpretative phenomenological study

AIM

To explore student nurses' understanding and behaviours of respect towards patients in order to inform educational strategies to optimise respectful care.

BACKGROUND

There is a causal relationship between the perception of being treated with respect and patient satisfaction. Concerns over standards of care prompted a commissioned report into the quality of nurse education in the United Kingdom.

DESIGN

A hermeneutic phenomenological interview study was used to identify and interpret student nurses' behaviours and understanding of respect towards patients.

SETTING

University health and social care faculty in the north-west of England, United Kingdom.

PARTICIPANTS

Eight third-year student nurses (adult branch), on different university sites, with practice placements across different healthcare trusts.

METHODS

Interviews about their understanding of respect and their behavioural intentions of respect towards patients were recorded and transcribed, then analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to produce themes from the data.

FINDINGS

Three themes of relevance to nurse education were identified. Respect is a complex concept that is difficult to apply in practice. Students are not always aware of incongruence between their feelings of respect towards patients and their behaviours towards them. Role-modelling of respectful care is variable, and essential care is often learned from healthcare assistants.

DISCUSSION

Awareness of emotional responses and their relationship to patient perceptions of respect should be facilitated in theory and practice. Rehearsal of the application of respect involving emotional labour, and reflection in and on the practice of respectful care, are needed to address student learning needs. The theory-practice gap in relation to respect, variation in professional practice and the under-recognised importance of healthcare assistants in student nurse education, are barriers to the learning of respect to patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Interactive education experiences are important to develop self-awareness and insight into respectful care. Mentorship in practice should encourage reflection in and on the practice of respect towards patients.

Visible and invisible caring in nursing from the perspectives of patients and nurses in the gerontological context

AIM

Just as in many countries all over the world, the number of older people in Italy has increased rapidly. Consequently, an increasing number of nurses are engaged in the care of older patients. However, due to a lack of understanding of how nurses and patients perceive caring, nursing care may be compromised. The aim of this study is to explore, describe and compare the perceptions of gerontological nurses and patients related to the dimensions of caring in nursing in an Italian hospital setting.

METHODS

In this qualitative descriptive study, a variety of analytic techniques were used to analyse semi-structured interview data from a purposeful sample of 20 nurses and 20 patients from geriatric units in two different Italian hospitals.

FINDINGS

Although both nurses and patients gave rich descriptions of caring experiences, patients described features of caring in nursing that were visible (including nurses' caring gestures, giving attention and being competent) while nurses predominantly emphasised aspects of caring that were relatively invisible (such as reflecting on the patient's past needs, evaluating the nursing care rendered, planning for more appropriate future nursing care, taking multiple complex contextual factors into account to protect the patient and being competent).

CONCLUSION

Our data revealed more nuanced insight into the meaning of invisible and visible caring in nursing within the gerontological context than has been previously reported in the literature. This has implications for nursing education and practice because it may help nurses meet the actual needs of older patients in hospital settings.

Socio-linguistic analysis of the Charter of Citizens' Rights and Obligations in Health Services

The aim of this study is to carry out a socio-linguistic analysis of the dissemination of the Charter of Citizens' Rights and Obligations in Public Health Services. We designed a qualitative investigation using observation and content analysis. A deductive analysis technique was followed, based on the "SPEAKING" model categories. The data analysis suggests a clear framework of rights and obligations has been established, but is not very familiar to patients and relatives. We can conclude that despite the widespread dissemination and publicity of the Citizens' Charter of Rights and Obligations, we still need the involvement of professionals. Nurses can develop a fundamental role in this process.

Factors associated with nurses’ opinions and practices regarding information and consent

This cross-sectional survey aimed to investigate nurses’ opinions and practices regarding information and consent in the context of a large Italian teaching hospital and to explore potential influences of gender, age, university education, length of professional experience, and care setting. A questionnaire was administered to 282 nurses from six different care settings (Emergency Room, Emergency Medicine, Surgery, Hematology–Oncology, Geriatrics, and Internal Medicine). Overall, 84% (n = 237) of nurses returned the questionnaire (men: 24%; mean age: 36.2 ± 8 years; university degree: 35%; mean length of professional experience: 12 ± 8.2 years). Most respondents regularly informed patients about medications and nursing procedures and asked for consent prior to invasive procedures, but some provided information to relatives instead of patients. Lack of time or opportunity was the main difficulty in informing patients. The work setting was the foremost factor significantly associated with participants’ opinions and practices. Further investigations are needed to confirm these findings in similar and other care settings.

The experience of being grounded: a phenomenological study of living with a wheelchair

PURPOSE

The purpose of this existential-phenomenological study was to investigate the experience of being in a wheelchair. It was a prelude to a pilot study examining the effect of "seated" Tai Chi.

METHODS

An interpretive research group was used as were direct quotations to support the analysis. The interview question was as follows: "please describe specific experiences you have had in your wheelchair that stand out for you."

FINDINGS

The interrelated themes were (a) humiliation, (b) frustration, (c) loss, and (d) humility, arising from a ground of self as disabled and time.

CONCLUSION

The accommodations from the ADA Act have greatly facilitated the independence for those who are disabled, yet many obstacles remain.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

People using wheelchairs experience the same health problems as the able-bodied and are thus found in all areas of nursing practice.