Meanings Given to Professional Care: Focus Group Results

Background: Many studies have focused on exploring the concept of care from patient and nurse perspectives, but knowledge is limited regarding student perceptions. Objective: To explore the meanings given to the concept of professional care from the perspective of graduate students in nursing and pastoral care. Research design: A qualitative study was employed with the formation of six focus groups. Data were analyzed via a thematic content analysis of the discussions. Participants and research context: Thirty-one students attending a University College in Oslo participated. Findings: Seven main themes and forty-four subthemes were identified. Major themes included reverence and respect for the dignity and value of human life, bonding, sensitive to self and other, communication, competence, willfulness and deep caring. Discussion: Different levels of intentionality, professional comportment and caring consciousness were revealed in the discussions. Findings also lend support to major beliefs and values in Watson’s Human Caring Theory. Conclusion: The focus groups generated valuable detail of complex experiences behind student’s perceptions, attitudes, beliefs and actions. Focus group methodology can enhance holistic nursing practice by providing opportunities to explore and clarify holistic care values, create opportunities for self-awareness and transformative learning in education, clinical practice, administration and research.