Nurses’ perceptions of caring and uncaring nursing encounters in inpatient rehabilitation settings in South Africa: A qualitative descriptive study

Abstract

Background: Nursing encounters are face-to-face meetings and interactions occurring between the nurse and the patient and they can be experienced as being caring or uncaring. Caring nursing encounters are those that promote positive care experiences to the patient leading to satisfaction with care, and an improvement in their well-being. Uncaring nursing encounters promote negative care experiences, leading to patients’ dissatisfaction with care and a decrease in patients’ wellness.

Purpose: This study describes nurses’ perceptions of caring and uncaring nursing encounters in inpatient rehabilitation settings.

Methods: This study utilized an exploratory and descriptive qualitative approach using manifest content analysis. Participants were purposively sampled and a semi-structured interview guide used to collect data through individual interviews. Data redundancy was reached after interviewing 21 participants. This is part of a larger case study aimed at developing guidelines to facilitate caring encounters in inpatient rehabilitation settings.

Results: Caring nursing encounters were “keeping their hope alive” and “going the extra mile,” while uncaring nursing encounters were “frustration with patients,” “being inadequate,” and “ignoring the patient.”

Conclusion: Caring nursing encounters promoted positive patient care experiences, easing their rehabilitation journey, while uncaring nursing encounters elicited strong negative emotions, giving patients feelings of being denied compassionate care.

Recommendation: Nurses must constantly encourage the rehabilitation patient to stay positive in the rehabilitation journey and empower them to self-manage their conditions. Nurses must strive to strike a balance in caring by building trust with rehabilitation patients and encourage them to air their grievances regarding uncaring nursing encounters as they happen