Essence Of Nursing Research Articles

A Preceptor Café

How do you affirm meaning and articulate values that will serve as the bedrock of a preceptor program? The Medical Specialty Preceptor Committee in a large hospital system planned a series of preceptor forums for 88 medical specialty preceptors. The goals were to renew commitment, refresh vision, and develop strategies for successfully orienting new hires. This study began by examining the work of JoEllen Koerner in her book Healing Presence: The Essence of Nursing. The universal values in her model involve acknowledging and addressing three basic levels: safety needs, relationship needs, and self-esteem needs, encompassing the individual's connection to the external world. The middle level is labeled transformation and goes beyond the first three levels to how the individual expresses the authentic self within the working world. The higher levels involve intuition, intention, and self-actualization and focus on the inner world of the individual. The needs of orientees could be met in all of these dimensions, based on existing structure and process in the organization. Relationship-based care as our nursing model guides holistic care. Our rich institutional heritage promotes values-based teamwork. Our goal was to articulate these values and hold discussions among preceptors about how these values could be expressed and developed in orientees. These café conversations were held as spring forum sessions. This article highlights essential ideas at the core of this preceptor activity.

Oncology patients' and professional nurses' perceptions of important nurse caring behaviors.

BackgroundCaring is the essence of nursing. Caring to be meaningful needs to be based on mutual agreement between nurses and patients as to what constitutes nurse caring behaviors. As a result, healthcare professional can enhance patients' satisfaction of care by providing appropriate caring behavior. However, previous research that combined multiple types of patients, nurses and institutions demonstrated disagreement in prioritizing important behaviors. This paper reports a study that aimed at determining the caring behaviors which oncology patients and oncology nurses perceive to be the most important.MethodsThis study is a comparative descriptive design that was conducted in an Iranian oncology centre. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 200 patients and 40 nurses to take part in the study. Data were collected over a period of 4 months in 2009 using the Caring Assessment Questionnaire, developed by Larson. Caring behaviors (n = 57) were ranked on a 5-point Likert-type scale and ordered in six subscales: "Being accessible", "Explains and facilitates", "Comforts", "Anticipates", "Trusting relationship", "Monitors and follows through". The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 13.0. The overall mean was calculated for each subscale to determine the rank distribution of the subscales. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test analysis of variables was used to compare patients' and nurses' scores on subscales.ResultsThe results demonstrate that both groups considered the same order of importance of caring, the high ranking of "Monitors and Follows through and "Being Accessible" and the low ranking of "Comforts" and "Trusting Relationships". Also, Patients only ranked "Being accessible" (p = 0.04) and "Explains and facilitates" (p = 0.03) higher than nurses.ConclusionsThe oncology patients and nurses perceived highly physical aspects of caring and the results provide for nurses to be aware of the need, during their interactions with patients, to validate the effect their intended caring has upon patients. By so doing and with further refinement of the concept of caring for nursing in studies such as this, the practical aim of making patients feel cared for can be achieved.

Cuidados paliativos: realidade ou utopia?

In the course of clinical practice, teaching and research, were have been motivated to produce this work, whose objective is to generate reflection about the hospice care directed to patients with no hope of cure and in the terminal phase of an illness. To facilitate understanding about palliative care, we have produced a history of its evolution since its inception in Europe, with Cicely Saunders, as well as an identification of the attributes of palliative care in Brazil and its practice in nursing. The preferential scenario is in the home, where the patient and his family become a care unit and are considered in their entirety. Control of pain, preparation for death, effective communication and the search for orthothanasia are the goals of the interdisciplinary team. Despite the fact that care is the essence of Nursing, palliative care is incipient in our practice. It is important that this philosophy be incorporated into our practice so that we may better participate in and sensitize the care of the dying patient, humanizing him.

Conceptualizing physical activity behavior of older Korean-Americans: An integration of Korean culture and social cognitive theory

People can live longer and healthier lives by engaging in physical activity (PA). The purpose of this article is to assess the social cognitive theory (SCT) in relation to its relevance to produce cultural-specific directions for gerontological nursing practice in order to guide the design of PA interventions for Korean-American elders. SCT is compared to the Korean cultural, social, and health belief system and is analyzed and evaluated based on 3 criteria: assumptions of the theory, completeness and consistency, and essence of nursing. Within the Korean culture, as presumed in the SCT and the nursing paradigm, health-promoting behavior, such as PA, is conceptualized as the desire for a higher level of health rather than a fear of disease as is proposed by other health behavior theories. SCT with the integration of Korean culture recognizes cultural, developmental, societal, and other external constraints that may help in formulating interventions and better understanding of the limits faced by older Korean-Americans (OKAs) in their pursuit of routine PA.

Emotional labour underlying caring: an evolutionary concept analysis

This paper is a report of a concept analysis of emotional labour. Caring is considered as the essence of nursing. Underpinning caring, the internal regulation of emotions or the emotional labour of nurses is invisible. The concept of emotional labour is relatively underdeveloped in nursing. A literature search using keywords 'emotional labour', 'emotional work' and 'emotions' was performed in CINAHL, PsycINFO and REPERE from 1990 to January 2008. We analysed 72 papers whose main focus of inquiry was on emotional labour. We followed Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis. Emotional labour is a process whereby nurses adopt a 'work persona' to express their autonomous, surface or deep emotions during patient encounters. Antecedents to this adoption of a work persona are events occurring during patient-nurse encounters, and which consist of three elements: organization (i.e. social norms, social support), nurse (i.e. role identification, professional commitment, work experience and interpersonal skills) and job (i.e. autonomy, task routine, degree of emotional demand, interaction frequency and work complexity). The attributes of emotional labour have two dimensions: nurses' autonomous response and their work persona strategies (i.e. surface or deep acts). The consequences of emotional labour include organizational (i.e. productivity, 'cheerful environment') and nurse aspects (i.e. negative or positive). The concept of emotional labour should be introduced into preregistration programmes. Nurses also need to have time and a supportive environment to reflect, understand and discuss their emotional labour in caring for 'difficult' patients to deflate the dominant discourse about 'problem' patients.

Nursing students’ perceptions of the importance of caring behaviors

This paper is a report of a study to determine the nursing students' perceptions of the importance of caring behaviours. Caring has been considered as the essence of nursing. It is believed that caring enhances patients' health and well-being and facilitates health promotion. Nursing education has an important role in educating the nurses with adequate caring abilities. Ninety nursing students (response rate 75%) responded to a questionnaire consisting of 55 caring behaviours adapted from items on Caring Assessment Questionnaire (Care-Q). Behaviours were ranked on a 5-point Likert-type scale. The caring behaviours were categorized in seven subscales: 'accessibles', 'monitors and follows through', 'explains and facilitates', 'comforts', 'anticipates', 'trusting relationship' and 'spiritual care'. Data were collected in Iran in 2003. The students perceived 'monitors and follows through' (mean = 4.33, SD = 0.60) as the most and 'trusting relationship' (mean = 3.70, SD = 0.62) as the least important subscales. 'To give patient's treatments and medications on time' and 'to do voluntarily little things...' were the most and least important caring behaviours, respectively. 'Explains and facilitates' statistically and significantly correlated with age (r = 0.31, P = 0.003) and programme year (r = 0.28, P = 0.025). Gender had no statistically significant influence on students' perceptions of caring behaviours. Further research is needed, using longitudinal designs, to explore nursing students' perceptions of caring behaviours in different cultures, as well as evaluation studies of innovations in curriculum and teaching methods to improve learning in relation to cultural competence and caring concepts.

Is It Time for a New Category of Nursing Diagnosis?

Professional vigilance, the art of "watching out," is the essence of nursing. Vigilance is the mental process that makes the informed nursing actions of assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation possible and meaningful. Nursing vigilance must be described in our nursing terminology or it risks remaining invisible to others. We propose that the current definition of nursing diagnosis be expanded to include surveillance diagnoses for which the nurse has the responsibility for problem identification and ongoing monitoring. Inclusion of surveillance diagnoses in the NANDA International taxonomy will better reflect the breadth and depth of nursing practice.

Promoting The Patient's Dignity And Preventing Caregiver Injury While Caring for A Morbidly Obese Woman with Skin Tears And A Pressure Ulcer

Expressing compassion is a universal nursing value, but the inability to adequately provide safe, competent care threatens the very essence of nursing. We report a clinical situation wherein nurses and other clinicians were given appropriate tools and resources necessary to care for a very medically complex morbidly obese patient. The role of dignity in managing the needs of patients, families, and caregivers is discussed. Common obesity-related skin challenges are described. Strategies for preventing caregiver injury while promoting patient safety, including prevention of skin injury, are presented. The input of nurses in performance improvement efforts can serve as a catalyst to implementing a hospital-wide process in which satisfaction, cost, and therapeutic outcomes are addressed as indicators of improved care.

The Essence of Nursing: Caring and Coaching

Nursing ForumVolume 40, Issue 2 p. 43-43 The Essence of Nursing: Caring and Coaching First published: 02 April 2006 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6198.2005.00013.xRead the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume40, Issue2April 2005Pages 43-43 RelatedInformation

The Timeless Caring Connection

Caring is the essence of nursing. However, one cannot assume that caring is enough, especially if the recipient has not perceived the message of caring. The nursing connection is defined as the successful communication of caring by a nurse, whereby the recipient of care can trust the message of caring and respond to the message in its entirety. The caring connection has special significance today because of the changing societal trends, the domination of chronic illness as the major player in the population's morbidity and mortality, and the need for the public to practice prevention and/or management of chronic disease through lifestyle changes. The challenge for nursing is presented in the role of the nurse as a coach. Key strategies for establishing a caring connection in the nurse-client relationship are identified. An authentic caring connection is an empowering dialogue and exchange of the human spirit-nothing but the sacred ground in nursing practice.

Journal Update

They dare to care, they dare to cry.They dare to feel, they dare to try.They dare to be at the end of the day, more than they were the day before…Be a Nurse. Dare to care. Have you heard those words? They are from the Johnson & Johnson's Campaign for Nursing's Future. An October 2002 Harris Poll indicated the following:•46% of young people ages 18 to 24 years can recall the advertising;•62% have discussed a nursing career for themselves or a friend; and•24% who have discussed a nursing career said commercials were a factor in their consideration. According to Johnson & Johnson, “Our nation is facing the most profound shortage of nursing professionals in its history,” and their data from a variety of credible sources certainly supports that claim.1.Johnson & JohnsonHealing the crisis in nursing: a progress report.The Campaign for Nursing's Future. Johnson & Johnson Health Care Systems, New Brunswick (NJ)2003Google Scholar The Campaign for Nursing's Future is a multi-year, multi-million dollar, nationwide effort to (1) enhance the image of the nursing profession, (2) recruit new nurses, and (3) retain nurses currently in the system. The recent first anniversary of the Campaign provided an opportunity to look at the many ways Johnson and Johnson's efforts have helped increase public awareness of the nursing shortage and have bolstered the efforts of nurses and nursing organizations as they work to find solutions to this national problem. The Campaign for Nursing's Future includes television, print, and interactive advertising saluting America's nurses, honoring their contributions, and recruiting new people into the profession. As the Harris Poll indicates, the commercials are definitely being seen and remembered. Just ask nurses whether they recall hearing any of these quotes about their chosen profession:•Challenging, exciting, demanding, and sometimes exhausting, but always rewarding.•You have to be intelligent, committed, educated, and want to make a difference in the world. But if you are willing to do what it takes, the rewards can be substantial.•Nursing blends a scientific mind, technological know-how, and a compassionate heart into one neat package.•Caring is the essence of nursing.•Nursing is powerful work.•Not many professions offer you the chance to make a difference the way nursing does.•The art and science of medicine combined with awesome nursing care can perform miracles. The Web site www.discovernursing.com is a comprehensive resource that includes information on nursing as a career, every nursing program in America, and every nursing scholarship available. It also contains profiles of more than 120 individual nurses, nursing opportunities in the Uniformed Services, and explanations of different nursing career paths and advice about how to pursue them. One section is devoted to funding resources and tips on how to apply for loans and scholarships. Additionally, the brochure entitled Because I am a Nurse, the poster Be a Nurse, recruitment videos, and the coloring book You Can Be a Nurse are available in both English and Spanish, free of charge, in quantities up to 500, to anyone who requests them. More than 350,000 people have visited the www.discovernursing.com Web site, spending an average of 15 minutes exploring the wealth of information. As of April 2003, the site has had more than 9 million page views.

The essence of nursing. Part II.

The essence of nursing. Part II.

The essence of nursing.

In the first of two articles, Alison Kitson outlines the fundamental elements of nursing, and how they should be protected and communicated. She argues that having the ability to care for the patient as a whole person is the essence of good nursing practice, in which a range of environmental and organisational conditions prevail, and over which the nurse must be in control. Similarly, basic observation and practical skills in traditional nursing must be evident before nurses can be assured they have met basic needs. She considers the effect of health care and other changes on nursing, along with strategies for ensuring that the essence of nursing is protected. The second article will appear next week.

Creating a caring community in nursing education.

In response to the call to reclaim caring in nursing, an associate of science in nursing degree program recently incorporated a curriculum that emphasizes the teaching and learning of caring. To accomplish this goal, caring groups composed of nursing faculty and students were established. The caring group experience involved the creation of a safe place in which nursing students and faculty could engage each other in a reciprocal dialogue of sharing and support. This article reports the findings of a qualitative study designed to discover and describe the lived experience of being in a caring group from the perspective of nursing students. Participants reported being more aware of the meaning and importance of caring in their personal and professional lives, being more accepting of others, and valuing caring and self-care more. They also expressed an intention to recreate the caring group experience in future practice settings. Conclusions from this study address the pedagogical measures necessary to sustain care and caring as the essence of nursing.

Teaching caring to nursing students.

This article reports on phenomenological research designed to discover how caring was taught in a nursing education program. The basic questions were: 1) What is the meaning of caring to the faculty and students; 2) How do the faculty communicate this meaning to the students; and 3) How does this meaning shape the experience of the students? Data were collected from a small associate degree nursing program using: a) semi-structured interviews with all faculty and a selected group of students, b) classroom observations, and c) review of documents. Data were analyzed for and found to have content explaining the meaning of caring, how caring was being taught, and what students were learning about caring as the essence of nursing. Implications derived speak to the need for faculty and administrators to have caring as a way of being if they wish to communicate caring as the essence of nursing to students.

Challenging a reductionistic paradigm as a foundation for nursing.

Historically, nursing practice has been grounded in the objective, analytic philosophy of the natural sciences. Over the past decades, caring--a humanistic concept--has been espoused as the essence of nursing. Paradoxically, practice based on the theme of caring remains aligned with the philosophy of the natural sciences and continues to use tools such as nursing process and nursing diagnosis, products of the natural sciences paradigm. The authors have outlined the foundation for a philosophy of caring. The encounter between caregiver and patient is the central aspect of this philosophy and is elaborated with the related concepts of openness, nonreductionism, immediacy, and meaning. In addition, holistic nursing practice requires attention by caregivers to their own self-awareness and the personal growth that is necessary for the demands of encountering patients. Practice based on such a philosophy maintains the primacy of the caregiver-patient relationship and permits the incorporation of analytic tools without depersonalizing effects.

Quality of life?a measure of the quality of nursing care?

Quality of life is a very complex phenomenon in the life of cancer patients. Individual perceptions might change with the state of disease and with necessary interventions. Some definitions seem to be more useful in cancer care than others. There has been considerable controversy in the quantity versus quality debate. Some confusion in the measurement of quality of life concerns "objectivity and subjectivity", referring either to the content of information or to persons other than the patient eliciting it. The relation between quality of life and quality of care has to be further explored: some dimensions of care might be of little or of potential relevance to the patient's quality of life. The dimensions of proven relevance concern psychological well-being through, for example, promotion of self-care or an enhanced perception of self-worth. These findings emphasise the importance of the concept of care, which is the essence of nursing. Contemporary professional and political difficulties require critical analysis.

CARONDELET ST. MARY’S NURSING ENTERPRISE

We began our nursing enterprise believing that nurses could enhance their contribution to health care. Our first step was charging for nursing services within Carondelet St. Mary's hospital walls. Across the country, few nursing departments bill separately for service. We believed this change was a bold step, but given our professional practice foundation, we also felt prepared to take that step. Our enterprise has expanded to a nursing network linked by NCMs. We offer professional nursing services within and beyond the hospital walls. Our boldest step has been to create the nursing HMO, which enables nurses to design and implement a full range of community nursing service, be reimbursed on a capitation basis, and demonstrate high-quality and cost-effective service for people at risk in managing their health concerns. Reflecting on our experience in creating a nursing enterprise, we find ourselves rooted in the essence of nursing. True to our professional mandate, we based our endeavor on service, not on profiting as a business. At the same time, we honored our holistic underpinnings. We matched our services to health needs expressed by people in the hospital and community, not on what we thought they should need. Founded on a belief in health as an expression of body, mind, and spirit, we believe that our approach has helped people to assume greater responsibility for themselves. Bringing us full circle, from service to outcomes, we believe that our enterprise, overlaying the business of nursing on the service of nursing, has enabled us to orchestrate our professional nursing services with nurses as conductors, as well as players.

Care — The Essence of Nursing and Health (Book)

Care — The Essence of Nursing and Health (Book)

Neurofibromatosis???an international enigma

Neurofibromatosis (NF), or von Recklinghausen's disease, is a multisystem, multifaceted disorder, which is extremely variable in its symptoms, intensity, and progression. Occurring in ∼1 of every 3,000 births, NF knows no sexual, racial, or geographical preferences.27 While malignant transformation has been described as a major element in the natural progression of NF, the factors responsible for this process remain unknown. The opportunities for nurses to coordinate clinical practice and educational and research endeavors in the aspects of patient/family education, psychosocial support, symptom control, and genetic counseling defy limits. Translating the complex needs of NF patients and families into comprehensive care is a profound nursing challenge. The issues of NF far supersede oncology, neurology, dermatology, and psychology to encompass the very essence of nursing.