title: What does caring mean to nursing and social work students?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study in Lithuania was to discover how the meaning of caring is perceived by nursing and social work students.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Nursing and social work are caring professions, which provide care in different ways. It is still unclear what features constitute the meaning of caring for nursing and social work students as future caring professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Snowball sampling technique was applied in the study. The data were collected as reflective narratives. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For nursing and social work students, the meaning of caring comprises mission, proficiency, values and collaboration. These features overlap, but the implementation of caring is dependent on the particular profession.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nursing and social work students describe the meaning of caring as holistic assistance to patient/client: the work mission for both. However, the tasks, responsibilities and focus on providing care to a patient/client differ in both professions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reflective narratives were preferred to semi-structured interviews. The researchers did not contact the participants in person to ask them additional questions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The meaning of caring is perceived as a developmental phenomenon, which depends on professional philosophy, practice, continuing learning and experience. Nursing and social work students perceive it as a way of thinking about the individual's being in a profession and acting collaboratively for the wellbeing of others.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Focus on the meaning of caring in nursing and social work (post)graduate education is a premise to shift the training from self- to other-centred, from mono- to multi-disciplinary approach. This is related to the shift of practices towards effective patient-centred team-working within the health system, with the spotlight on caring.
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bagdonaite-Stelmokiene
authors.affiliation: Department of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania.|Department of Nursing, Klaipeda State University of Applied Sciences, Kaunas, Lithuania.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zydziunaite
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suominen
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Astedt-Kurki
mesh_terms: D004645:Empathy; D006801:Humans; D008097:Lithuania; D012947:Social Work; D013334:Students; D013338:Students, Nursing
keywords: Caring; Lithuania; Nursing; Qualitative Content Analysis; Social Work; Student