Nurses' values when caring for persons suffering from substance use disorder: A hermeneutical study

Persons suffering from a substance use disorder (SUD) in need of help from low-threshold centres have complex and severe conditions together with uncontrolled use of mainly illicit substances. Their sufferings are all-encompassing and demand ethically aware nurses with competence to take care of somatic, existential and spiritual needs.

To explore and describe a new understanding of the ethical and ontological values upon which nurses base their work when caring for persons suffering from SUD.

The study had a hermeneutical approach. A focus-group interview was conducted with five nurses working at a low-threshold centre in Norway. Data analysis was carried out through a hermeneutical reading based on Gadamer's hermeneutics.

The study was approved by the Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research (SIKT). Oral and written consent was obtained from the participants.

The hermeneutical reading revealed three dimensions; A wish to be useful; Nurses' motive for caring for persons suffering from SUD is a wish to be useful and needed. Nurses are fighting a battle against injustice and stigmatisation. Neighbourly love, the core value; Neighbourly love serves as the basis for the nurses` work. Nurses feel humble towards their clients, they feel privileged to have the opportunity to help others through compassionate care. The value of being clients` advocate; Nurses are trying to ensure that clients receive the help they need. A large part of nurses` job is to monitor and take care of the clients` condition. This involves working close to death, trying to save lives.

Nurses wish to care in accordance with their ethos of usefulness. Sacrifice stands out as the ultimate form of neighbourly love, empowering nurses with moral authority to act as advocates for their clients.