The Lived Experiences of Nurses of Comatose Patients: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Approach

Introduction: The quality of care in comatose patients is the most significant criteria for evaluation of nursing care quality. This is due to the fact that caring for these patients is long and very burdensome. This criterion is achieved by transferring of experience from experienced nurses to novice nurses. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experience of caregivers of comatose patients. Method: van Manen’s conception of hermeneutic phenomenology with purposeful sampling of nurses of teaching hospitals was used in Tehran in ۲۰۱۱. The data were collected through ۸ interviews. The gathered data were analyzed in order to explain this lived experience. Results: The participants were ۵ males and ۳ females and were working in critical care units for ۶-۲۳ years. ۱۵ essential subthemes were elicited, and were classified into ۴ themes. The meaning of caring for comatose patients was explained by the subthemes and themes achieved. Conclusion: The findings of the current study will give nurses a greater knowledge on caring for comatose patients, give greater insight into the issues being faced by the caregiver, lead to a better understanding of the needs of these patients, improve the relationship with the patients, and ultimately help improve the nursing practice.

Keywords:

Nurses’ lived experiences , Coma , Caring , Hermeneutic phenomenology