The Constitution of Nursing Practice for Sustained Consciousness Disorders in an Acute Care Unit:

Focusing on Exploring Responses

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate nursing practices that explore patient responses in acute care wards for individuals with persistent consciousness disorders and clarify how these practices are constituted. Methods: A phenomenological research design was employed, focusing on the practices of nurses working in neurology and neurosurgery wards. Data collection involved both observations and interviews with a nurse. Results: The analysis identified four themes related to the practice of “exploring response” and three additional background themes. Conclusions: Nursing practices are grounded on patient responses, conditions, and subtle changes. Interactions between the nurse and patient facilitated communication that either elicited direct responses from the patient or involved inquiries into the experiences of other staff members. The findings underscored the importance of sharing nurses’ experiences of patient interactions alongside their objective evaluations.