title: Who cares? A critical discussion of the value of caring from a patient and healthcare professional perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was undertaken in order to discover and illuminate the essential caring behaviours valued by both patients and staff in an orthopaedic setting within a district general hospital in the United Kingdom.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This descriptive study was undertaken in order to acquire a greater understanding of perceptions of caring from both patient and orthopaedic healthcare professional perspectives.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 30 patients and 53 healthcare professionals consisting of doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists were asked to complete the Caring Behaviours Inventory (CBI) questionnaire (Wolf et al., 1994). Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings revealed both similarities and differences relating to the importance of positive caring behaviours exhibited during caring interactions. Healthcare professionals working in the orthopaedic setting acknowledged the value of similar positive caring behaviours to those of the patient group but ranked the importance of these differently.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several important insights into perceptions of caring have been gained. These relate to an overall understanding of the caring behaviours that are considered of importance to patients and healthcare professionals; the differences that exist between the caring perceptions of both groups and the factors which influence these perceptions.
authors.affiliation: Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University of Chester, UK. Electronic address: Sandra.flynn@nhs.net.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Flynn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000523:psychology*; D016530:Orthopedic Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Behaviours; Caring; Multi-professional team; Orthopaedic