Art-based inquiry as a means of interpreting the meaning of caring in first and fourth year nursing students

38^th International Conference on Nursing & Healthcare

October 16-18, 2017 | New York, USA

Karen Parsons

Memorial University School of Nursing, Newfoundland, Canada

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

A qualitative research study using hermeneutic phenomenology was used to determine the meaning of caring in nursing for first and fourth year nursing students at Memorial University School of Nursing, Newfoundland, Canada. The specific objectives of the study were 1) To use art-based inquiry as an approach to facilitate reflection on the meaning of caring in nursing. 2) To understand the meaning of caring and the caring relationship in nursing practice for first and fourth year nursing practice. 3) To identify nursing behaviors perceived as caring by first and fourth year nursing students. 4) To identify how fourth year nursing students have experienced the nurse-patient caring relationship in their clinical practice. 5) To compare first and fourth year students� perceptions of the meaning of caring and the caring relationship in order to assess overall change from years 1 to 4. 6) To identify sources of support for and deterrents to the development of the nurse-patient caring relationship in fourth year nursing students. 7) To inform nursing curricula in the development of a caring framework across all years of the nursing curriculum. Each student was asked to paint a picture that represented the concept of caring in nursing. After completion of the painting, each student took part in one semi-structured face-to-face interview with the resarcher. Data analysis followed the five-step method of textual analysis described by Diekelmann, Allen and Tanner (1989). From the data several themes were identified that addressed the study objectives.

Biography :

Karen Parsons received her PhD in Nursing from Rush University, College of Nursing, in Chicago Illinois in 2005. She is currently the Associate Dean of Research at Memorial University School of Nursing in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada. She was the recipient of the President’s Award for Distinuished Teaching at Memorial University in 2014. Her main areas of research interest are caring for the older adult with cognitive impairment, pedagogical methods, and qualitative research design.