Characteristics of Japanese Nursing Students’ Thoughts and Feelings During Caring and Relations of Their Thoughts and Feelings to Congruence

Abstract

[Purpose] This study aimed to reveal the nursing students’ thoughts and feelings in the nursing care and the relations of their thoughts and feelings to congruence, and derive educational suggestions for the formation of good helping-relationship with patients from the findings.

[Methods] Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 86 nursing students, asking them about their thoughts and feelings during the nursing care, and presence or absence of congruence.

[Results] Strong significant differences were found in the relations of their thoughts and feelings to congruence. Their feelings not developing a state of congruence were [positive self-feelings], [negative self-feelings], [positive feelings toward cared-for] and [negative feelings toward cared-for]. On the other hand, their thoughts leading to the state of congruence were classified into [thoughts of reflecting on one’s own caring skill], [thoughts of reflecting on one’s own attentiveness], [thoughts of recognizing the condition for cared-for] and [thoughts of improving the condition of cared-for].

[Considerations] In the nursing care practice, nursing students’ thoughts were more likely to develop the state of congruence than their feelings. The students’ thoughts developing the state of congruence and their feelings not developing the state of congruence presented the characteristics relevant to the formation of a good helping-relationship in the nursing care.