A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study of Aesthetics in Nursing Practice Among Hospitalized Cancer Patients in Nepal

Abstract

Background:Aesthetics is the art of nursing that is expressive, subjective, and visible in the act of caring in nursing practice. Aesthetics in nursing practice satisfies holistic needs and achieves the quality of whole-person care.Purpose:The aim of this study is to describe the meanings of the lived experiences of cancer patients in terms of receiving care from the perspective of aesthetics in nursing practice.Methods:The hermeneutic phenomenological approach grounded on Gadamerian philosophy guided this study. Eleven Nepalese cancer patients who met the inclusion criteria shared their experiences through graphic illustrations (drawings) and interviews. Data were analyzed and interpreted following van Manen’s phenomenological approach reflective of the four life worlds. The trustworthiness of findings was established following the criteria by Lincoln and Guba.Results:Thematic categories of the lived experience of cancer patients were revealed, reflecting the four life worlds:lived relationexpressed as being nurtured as a family;lived spaceas appreciating the healing space;lived timeas being hopeful; andlived bodyas receiving a new life. This experience was described asexperiencing self and other while appreciating the healing space, being hopeful and nurtured as family and having a new life.Implications for Practice:Aesthetics in nursing practice values on politely nurturing cancer patients as nurses’ family members in a pleasant healing environment. Further, cancer patients experience having a new life.

Aesthetics in Nursing Practice as Experienced by Children During Hospitalization in Philippines

“…These findings showed similarities with other studies17,33,35,37 exploring perspectives of aesthetics in nursing practice, such as showcasing trust, honorable behavior, true love, and respecting the patient's dignity, as the basis of effective communication between nurses and persons being nursed. However, due to the differences in age, developmental stages, and experiences between children in this study as compared with adult participants,17,33 children's understanding of some nursing aesthetics is found to be different from that of adults, and they are more inclined to sensibility and purity. Because underage children's attachment to home and family is beyond question, the hospital environment would seem very unfamiliar so that they could feel very insecure during hospitalization.…”

“…In addition, as this study described the aesthetics of nursing from the perspective of children, it is worth noting that they are pupils who are in a learning state, and some treatments and nursing methods need their cooperation to be completed. Nurses can instruct correctly and sensibly without coercion or urging, which is not mentioned in other studies 17,33,35,37. A study has reported that urging or forcing children to cooperate with treatment can make children rebellious and insecure in the hospital 38…”

“…Nurses can instruct correctly and sensibly without coercion or urging, which is not mentioned in other studies. 17,33,35,37 A study has reported that urging or forcing children to cooperate with treatment can make children rebellious and insecure in the hospital. 38 The theme of creating impressive care indicated that children hope to be loved and paid attention to.…”

“…The second criterion was determined by asking the participants to confirm whether they have experiences of receiving beautiful/compassionate/admirable/satisfying care from nurses during their stay in the hospital. Aesthetics33 denotes these terms, such as beautiful, compassionate, admirable, or satisfying care, which are more familiar to the participants. The third criterion was set to fit the design of the study, which used drawings and interviews as data sources.…”

“…Interview: The interview was conducted using a semistructured interview guide. The interview questions were developed on the basis of previous studies [33][34][35] and experts' opinions. After the participants drew the pictures, the researcher utilized them to allow the children to share their experience of receiving aesthetic nursing practice from their nurses.…”