SKILLED NURSES EXPERIENCES OF CARING

The content and the meaning of nurses' caring in practice remain poorly illuminated. To contribute to a better understanding, the meaning of caring, abilities needed for caring, experiences that make caring worthwhile, and the source of the strength needed to continue caring were focused on in interviews with experienced nurses in surgical (n = 15), medical (n = 15), and long-term (n = 15) care. The analysis showed both similarities and differences between the three groups of nurses. One similarity lay in the ability of the nurses within their caring role to understand the situation, to establish contact with the patient, and to act in the patient's best interest especially regarding the relief of pain and anxiety. On the other hand, one of the differences was that the nurses engaged in long-term care emphasized support of the patients' psychosocial needs more than nurses engaged in surgical and medical care, who emphasized support of the patients' weakened vital functions. The analysis also disclosed that almost all of the nurses had been troubled by problems of patient care when they were new to their jobs, but experience and maturity had given them strength. Care in itself gave the nurses satisfaction and pleasure and made it worthwhile. Positive cooperation with coworkers and patients' families were the main sources of their strength to continue caring. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company