Aims and objectives
To outline and examine the literature about self‐awareness in nursing and to identify areas for future research and practice.
Background
Self‐awareness is important for the personal and professional development of nurses, for developing an effective nurse–patient relationship and for improving nursing abilities. Despite its importance in nursing and therapeutic nurse–patient relationship and its evolving nature, the knowledge base for self‐awareness in nursing remains under‐examined.
Design
A scoping review using PRISMA guidelines.
Methods
A five‐step approach: (a) identification of research question; (b) identification of relevant studies using a three‐step search: keywords search within PubMed and CINAHL, literature search within PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Science Direct and Google Scholar, and literature search of references lists; (c) study selection; (d) data extraction and charting; (e) data collation, summarisation and reporting, was used.
Findings
Of 1,531 identified sources, 76 full‐text sources were read and 29 English language sources, published from January 1980 until January 2018, which included nurses or nursing students, were reviewed. Two themes: perspectives on self‐awareness and strategies for enhancing self‐awareness emerged. Under these themes, conceptualisation of self‐awareness; its antecedents and value; and theory‐based, educational and personal strategies for its enhancement were described. There is sufficient literature regarding self‐awareness conceptualisation and theory‐based strategies for its enhancement, but inconclusive evidence regarding value of self‐awareness, and educational and personal strategies for its improvement.
Conclusion
There is limited research on self‐awareness. Most of the literature comprises of theoretical discussions and opinions which adequately provide a conceptual understanding of self‐awareness. However, more empirical and applied research is needed to apply the available theoretical knowledge in practice.
Relevance to clinical practice
This review delineated theoretical, educational and personal strategies for nurses to improve their self‐awareness and indicated that engagement in self‐awareness at relational and contextual levels is essential for developing nurse–patient relationship.
The male nurses were concerned for their patients, they were knowledgeable about the patients' condition and care, and provided them with clear explanations of the medical and nursing procedures. However, they seem to lack interpersonal relationship with patients and did not take initiative in understanding their patients.
Self‐awareness is essential for nurses for improving nurse–patient relationship and patient care. There are many theories about self‐awareness, but scant research explores nurses' perspectives regarding self‐awareness and its significance for themselves and patient care. This study explores nurses' perspectives regarding self‐awareness in nursing, the importance of self‐awareness for nurses, and its influence on patient care. We used a descriptive qualitative design. Face‐to‐face semistructured interviews were conducted, from October to December 2018, with a purposive sample of 13 nurses at two hospitals in Pakistan. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Five themes and 13 subthemes were generated. The themes included the meaning of self‐awareness: a personal, professional, and conscientious attribute, significance of self‐awareness for nurses, self‐aware nurses and its impact on patient care, behaviors, and actions signifying self‐awareness, and what is needed to enhance self‐awareness. Self‐awareness can increase nurses' confidence in managing challenging situations and providing culturally competent care to patients from various cultural and religious orientations.
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