Thai nurses’ experience of caring for persons with life-sustaining technologies in intensive care settings: A phenomenological study

Abstract

Technological competency as caring in nursing is grounded in the viewpoint that health care technologies are used to know persons. This study described the experiences of eight Thai nurses caring for persons with life-sustaining technologies in adult intensive care settings. Using individual semi-structured interviews, Van Manen's hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to analyse the data. Nine thematic categories formed the description of the experience of caring for. The experience of caring for is described as valuing competency to care despite differing insecurities in the use of technology. Influenced by relationships and compassion, the risk that technology prevented an appreciation of persons as wholes is embodied in the encouraging collaboration of fostering time to care regardless of being in a restricted space surrounded with technology. Locsin's theory of Technological Competency as Caring in Nursing serves as theoretical lens through which findings are discussed. These findings should assist nurses achieve quality human care in intensive care settings.