Nurse anaesthetist students’ experiences of patient dignity in perioperative practice.

Abstract

Aim : The aim of the study was to describe how nurse anaesthetist students experi- enced patient dignity in perioperative practice. Design : A hermeneutical design and the critical incident technique were used to ob- tain experiences from practice. Method : In the Autumn of 2015, after participating in a mandatory lecture on ethics, 23 nurse anaesthetist students reported their experiences and interpretation concern- ing violation and preservation of patients’ dignity in the operating theatre. The text, which was a compilation of descriptions of 35 incidents, was analysed by using herme- neutical text interpretation. Findings : The text revealed three main themes preserving patients’ dignity: allocating time to the patient, inviting the patient to participate and shielding the patient’s body. Furthermore, three main themes of dignity violation were identified: alienation, back- biting and violation of intimate sphere. Conclusion : Discussion and reflection based on the personal experience of the stu- dents during their practice are ways to strengthen ethical awareness and promote an ethical and dignified caring culture.