Abstract
In the future, there will be an increasing number of caring needs among the German people. They will be influenced by numerous factors such as: (1) demographic changes, (2) increasing cultural diversity, (3) successive singularisation, and (4) growing caring needs of the elderly. Therefore, the vulnerability of patients is at the centre of, and makes an increasing demand on the advocacy services in nursing. A foreign environment like a hospital affects patients with anxiety or at least with some concern. In addition, changes are taking place for older clientele, which might lead to a former self-dependent person into care-dependency. Despite numerous information channels, these patients do not always have the necessary expertise and experience or the assertiveness to decide how to address their own concerns. In addition, some of them do not have a supporting social lobby that could deputize for them. Furthermore, for foreign citizens, there exist language and/or cultural barriers. Having these observations in mind, there is the starting point of professional nurses to act as advocates for their patients. Finally: to act for others is also a question of spirituality and ethics and has impacts on hospital chaplaincy. Methods: (1) Qualitative study: 15 nurses, 2 doctors and an occupational therapist have been interviewed (= expert interviews); (2) Case study: Analysis of 67 case studies from nursing students.
Presenters
Franziskus KnollProfessor, Pastoral Care and Homiletics, Theologische Hoschule Chur, Graubünden (de), Switzerland
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Nursing ethics, Spirituality, Vulnerability, Advocacy, Hospital Chaplaincy
