| Learning Objective #1: Identify four domains of nurse caring characteristics and the respective caring characteristics found in each domain | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss the ways nurse caring characteristics evolve |
The study participants were recruited from one healthcare facility, a 394-bed, for-profit acute care facility in a southwestern city with a metropolitan population of over 200,000. Nineteen RNs were included in the study using a purposive, theoretical sampling technique. The study participants ranged in age from 23-61, with a range of 1 ½ to 24 years nursing practice.
Data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Axial coding was used to explore relationships among the conceptual themes, which yielded four separate, yet interrelated domains of caring characteristics (e.g., knowing, connectedness, intent, and integrity). Within these domains, 23 categories of caring characteristics emerged. The domain of intent was identified as the central domain, representing one's core capacity for caring. This domain includes the categories of possessing a positive attitude, positive intent, kindness, compassion, concern, consideration, desire and willingness, perceived obligation or duty to serve God and others, hope, and trust. The domain of integrity includes the categories of honesty, respect, humility, and courage. The domain of connectedness includes the categories of connecting with others, temporality, and open-mindedness. The domain of knowing specifically addresses nurse knowing as it relates to caring and subsumes the categories of experiential knowing, self-knowing, relational knowing, and shared knowing.
Centered upon one's intent to act in caring ways, the theoretical model is representative of the nurse caring characteristics explored. Possessing a positive intent to be caring directly affects and is affected by one's integrity, a feeling of connectedness, and one's knowing of the other.