Embedded Files
now is my Dad's time in hospital. He had to undergo a heart surgery and we were worried to death. I was waiting nervously outside the operation room, but the ICU nursing staff did not treat me well. Though I was one of their colleagues, they weren’t very nice to me, and didn’t allow me to see my father, nor did they give me any hope. I was totally anxious; now I understand patients and their families better. I put myself in their shoes and that makes me feel closer to them. This can help one understand patients and their multiple dimensions a lot better. (Participant 13) Input sources—which include religious beliefs, the participants’ upbringing, and commitment—constitute another major factor in holistic care provision. Regarding religiousness, one of the participants stated:My religious beliefs help me to consider a patient's various needs despite the problems at work. I believe God has given me the power to give care to my patients; this idea gives me more energy for a better caring for the patients. (Participant 7) The same participant mentioned that religiousness can lead to recognition of the greater effectiveness of meeting a patient's whole needs simultaneously rather than separately: By satisfying their needs and witnessing the effect of that on their recovery, I now see every patient as a whole with a number of needs all of which should be taken care of as a whole, and not individually, to quicken treatment. Another nurse stated: My beliefs make me attend to the different needs of the patients. Neglecting a patient's needs makes me feel guilty, and I try to keep my conscience clear by satisfying my patients’ needs. (Participant 4) The manner in which one has been reared has an important impact on the formation of these beliefs. In this regard, one of the participants said: My father usually advised me to view the patients as my own family and provide the best possible caring for them and attend to all their needs. (Participant 8) Commitment, which can increase during work, is usually effective before entering the nursing profession; it is considered as a component of input sources that plays a key role in the formation of holistic care. One of the nurses remarked: I try to perform my duties in the best way. I think our duty is not limited to some routine tasks. Addressing all of the needs of my patients is my duty as a nurse and I try to resolve their entire problems. When I resolve them, I feel good and my interest in my profession increases. In addition to giving me a sense of fulfillment, satisfying the patients’ various needs is so effective that I’ve grown more attentive to my patients’ multiple dimensions and try to have an overall view of them. (Participant 3) Educational structure—which includes the content of educational programs, teaching methods, and educators’ competence—has an important impact on the adoption of holistic care by nurses. Ahmadi et al., reach similar results in their study and introduce educational structure as an effective factor in the quality of care and extent of attending to patients’ different problems.[26] The results of this study show that none of the components of the educational structure in Iran are appropriate enough to prepare nurses for holistic care. The content of educational programs is not based on the philosophy of holistic care. King and Gates’ study points to the same results and shows that teaching holistic nursing to undergraduate nursing students is ignored in the curriculum of nursing and the content of educational programs emphasizes the medical model of.[27] Similarly, the results of Strindberg's study in Sweden show that most nursing lessons are based only on biological science. Revising nursing lessons seems to be required for the inculcation of holistic care in nursing students. Strandberg has also suggested this matter in his study.[1] Robinson, likewise, emphasizes the role of the lessons’ content in the adoption of holistic care by nursing students and suggests using art and behavioral lessons in nursing courses.[18] Teaching methods and educators’ competence, the other components of the educational structure, play an important role in learning and the transference of theoretical knowledge of holistic care into clinical practice. However, according to the findings of this study, most nurses believe that their main concern in their courses has been with becoming competent in doing routine tasks and that they had little opportunity to consider the other needs of patients. If educators provide practical models of holistic care, students’ confidence will increase and they will be able to provide holistic care. Meleis (1975) and Davies (1993) referred to this issue and emphasized its importance. King and Gates, also, stress the role of practical models, teaching methods, and explaining the philosophy of holistic care in the formation of holistic care (King and Gates, 2006). Similarly, Henderson's study suggests that defective teaching methods and educators’ incompetence are barriers to holistic care provision.[16] Professional environment, which consists of workload, management, and the limited conformity of the clinical environment with professional norms, can affect the formation of holistic care and act as a barrier or facilitator to it. When unsuitable, these components are identified as barriers to holistic care provision in this study. Workload is one of
Google Sites
Report abuse