Nurses' Perceptions of Caring at Work: Qualitative Findings.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Caring is crucial in nursing practice and influences work environments.
• Limited research exists on nurse perceptions of caring behaviors in the workplace.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore qualitative themes of nurse perceptions regarding self, coworker, and leadership caring.
• To understand the factors that constitute and detract from a caring nursing environment.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative content analysis of open-ended survey responses.
• Utilized data from Watson Caritas Self-rating, Co-Workers, and Leader Scores.

Main Results:

• Identified five themes: essential caring elements, detrimental factors, teamwork dynamics, pandemic effects, and distress from unmet expectations.
• Nurses described both positive and negative examples of caring behaviors.
• Findings reveal the significant impact of the work environment on perceived caring.

Conclusions:

• Nurses' perceptions of caring are multifaceted, encompassing positive and negative experiences.
• Leaders can use these findings to promote exemplary caring behaviors.
• Fostering a healthy, caring work environment is essential for nursing practice.