Cultivating Knowing and Relationships: Nursing Assistants’ Interactions With Residents Receiving Palliative Care

Abstract

Nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable members of society. The literature emphasizes promotion of personhood, dignity, and comfort—dimensions that fall within the purview of the certified nursing assistant (CNA). Little is known about how CNAs approach caring for a dying resident. This grounded theory study explored CNA–resident interactions for residents receiving palliative care. The theory “Cultivating Knowing and Relationships” emerged, which represents a social–psychological process of how CNAs capitalize on reciprocity and achievement of gratification to develop personal relationships with residents and maintain personhood and dignity through death. These findings underscore CNAs’ significant role in enhancing quality.