Bedside nurses' care model: challenges and perspectives for an innovative practice.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Practice
• Healthcare Ethics
• Intensive Care

Background:

• The bedside care model is increasingly adopted in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).
• Understanding its impact on nursing practice through the lens of virtue ethics is crucial.
• Nurses' professional identity and patient care quality are key considerations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nursing practices within the bedside care model in an ICU.
• To analyze these practices in light of virtue ethics.
• To identify facilitators and barriers to effective nursing care.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research design.
• Conducted in an Intensive Care Unit at a University Hospital in MG/Brazil.
• Semi-structured interviews with 12 nurses, analyzed using Thematic Content Analysis.

Main Results:

• The bedside model fosters innovative nursing practices and a renewed focus on patient care (telos).
• It helps overcome care fragmentation and reconfigures professional identity.
• Challenges include recognition by the multidisciplinary team, leading to identity conflicts.

Conclusions:

• The bedside care model positively influences the nurse-patient relationship.
• It promotes innovative and excellent nursing practice.
• Enhances the integration of professional and patient care.