Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia
Corso di laurea in infermieristica - Sede di Modena
| Thesis Title | Patient dignity: a qualitative research on nursing students' perceptions |
|---|---|
| Name | Barozzi Agnese |
| Supervisor(s) | Ferri Paola |
| Academic Year | 2015/16 |
| Thesis type | Non research thesis |
Abstract
Background: Respecting patients’ dignity should be the heart of nursing care. Many studies have described patients and nurses point of view but are few the ones that analyze perspectives and emotions of nursing students. Aim: Analyze the issue of patients’ dignity, in clinical environments, from the perspective of nursing students. Research design: A qualitative research was conducted with three focus groups and the participation of nursing students. Student, based on questions prepared by the literature review analysis, freely discussed on the issue of dignity. Participants and research context: Twenty-seven nursing students, of Modena University, participate in the three focus groups. Each group was homogeneous in terms of year of study and heterogeneous in terms of clinical practice in various wards. Ethical consideration: Authorizations to contact students, to use degree course’s classrooms and to conduct the research, have been granted from Nursing Degree Course’s president, Paola Ferri. Findings: Three main topics emerged: patient factors that affect the dignity, clinical staff behavior factors and hospital environment factors. Of the three main topics, related patients’ factors, are the central part of our study because on these ones nurses, the entire clinical team and generally the hospital setting, act to maintain patients’ dignity in a hospitalization context. Discussion: Through students’ emotions and experiences were identified several aspects of factors that promote or threaten patient's dignity. All participants emphasized the maintaining of patient's dignity as an important component of nursing care. Conclusions: Nurse educators can use the findings of this study in order to emphasise the importance of respecting patients' dignity in nursing studies’ program. In addition, nurse ward managers can use the findings for persuading nurses to change current behaviour.