Nurses' Lived Experiences of Forgiveness to Others

Introduction: Forgiveness to others as a moral virtue is emphasized by Islam. In strengthening the preservation of human dignity and altruism and empathy emphasized in nursing ethics codes for nurses, forgiveness has a special place. The aim of this study was to investigate nurses&#۳۹; lived experiences of forgiveness to others in workplace. Method: This study was conducted based on the qualitative approach and interpretive phenomenological method, which aimed to explore the outcomes of forgiveness based on nurses’ lived experiences. Participants in this study were ۲۵ nurses working in hospitals of Tabriz City, Iran, who were selected via purposive sampling. Data were collected via in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The transcribed interviews were analyzed based on the hermeneutic approach using the analysis method proposed by Diekelmann, Allen, and Tanner. The mentioned interviews continued until no new meanings emerged and until the researchers were satisfied with the depth of their understanding. The extracted meanings were mental solace, spirituality and career. Results: The nurses in lived experiences of forgiveness to others had achieved mental, spiritual and professional career consequences. Conclusion: Forgiveness as an important moral act and as one of the factors in nursing ethics codes can play a major role in giving a sense of calm, nearness to god, and positive engagement in the work environment.

Keywords:

Forgiveness , Nurses , Phenomenology