Re-establishing dignity: Nurses’ experiences of caring for older hospital patients

In western countries, the older population is increasing
and with age follows a risk of un-health. Every fifth
hospital patient is above 65 years of age. As a consequence,
nursing care to older patients is a significant but tacit
nursing issue. The aim of this study was to explore Danish
clinical nurses’ experiences of caring for older hospital
patients. The study was based on Benner and Wrubel’s
phenomenological notion that caring as a special kind of
involvement, a grasp of a situation in terms of its meaning,
is primary in nursing. A qualitative secondary analysis of
data from an interview study with 29 nurses and nurse
assistants was performed following Van Manen’s hermeneutic
phenomenology. Findings show that caring mainly
concerns ‘re-establishing dignity’ especially through ‘seeing
the patient as a unique person’, ‘assisting in getting rid
of the bed’ and ‘supporting patient appearance’. The study
documents that caring for older people is about creating
small everyday circumstances in which patient dignity can
flourish. Shortcomings of a secondary analysis are discussed
and suggestions for future research, such as how
older hospital patients experience caring and dignity