"Helping them understand": nurses' caring behaviors as perceived by family members of trauma patients.
This qualitative study explored family members' perceptions of nurses' caring behaviors. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 family members of moderately to severely injured trauma patients cared for at a level II trauma center. The dominant behavior identified as being caring was explaining what was going on and interpreting medical jargon. Appearing hurried and abrupt was noted as behavior that was not caring. In a highly stressful situation such as trauma, the interpersonal relationship the nurse develops with the family influences the perception of the care received.
Clukey
Lory
L
University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA. lory.clukey@unco.edu
Hayes
Janice
J
Merrill
Alison
A
Curtis
Denise
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004645:Empathy; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006379:Helping Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007697:Kinesics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014193:Trauma Centers; D055815:Young Adult