Self-care Support for Patients Provided by Expert Nurses in General Outpatients

Abstract

　The purpose of this study is to clarify the self-care support practices of skilled nurses in general outpatient settings. Participatory observation and interviews were conducted with 10 experienced nurses in general outpatient settings, and the data were qualitatively described. The analysis revealed five categories: “Questions based on intuitive awareness and keen observation skills,” “Proactive questions with an eye to the future,” “Instruction based on assessment without hesitation,” and “Intentional questions to support continuity” “Building a cooperative system so that you can live with peace of mind.” The self-care support provided by skilled general outpatient nurses relies on their intuitive awareness and keen observation skills. By making full use of these skills, they can become aware of patients’ unexpressed feelings, engage with them in a way that allows the expression of those feelings, and provide immediate support without hesitation. Subsequently, nurses continue to intentionally engage with patients to support their self-care. Based on these results, it is suggested that a cooperative system be developed to provide nursing support so that patients can live in the community with peace of mind.