Nurse-Patient Interaction: A Vital Salutogenic Resource in Nursing Home Care

Abstract

We are now witnessing a major change in the world’s population. Many people globally grow very old: 80, 90, and 100 years. Increased age is followed by an increased incidence of functional and chronic comorbidities and diverse disabilities, which for many leads to the need for long-term care in a nursing home. Quality of life and health promotive initiatives for older persons living in nursing homes will become ever more important in the years to come. Therefore, this chapter focuses on health promotion among older adults living in nursing homes. First, this chapter clarifies the concepts of health, salutogenesis, and pathogenesis, followed by knowledge about health promotion. Then insight and knowledge about the nursing home population is provided; what promotes health and well-being in nursing home residents?Health promotion in the health services should be based on integrated knowledge of salutogenesis and pathogenesis. The salutogenic understanding of health is holistic and considers man as a wholeness including physical, mental, social, and spiritual/existential dimensions. Research indicates that various health-promoting interventions, specifically the nurse–patient interaction, influence on older adults in nursing homes as a wholeness of body–soul–spirit, affecting the whole being. Hence, dimensions such as pain, fatigue, dyspnea, nausea, loneliness, anxiety, and depressive symptoms will be influenced through health-promoting approaches. Therefore, two separate studies on the health-promoting influences of nurse–patient interaction in nursing home residents were conducted. In total, nine hypotheses of directional influence of the nurse–patient interaction were tested, all of which finding support.Along with competence in pain and symptom management, health-promoting nurse–patient interaction based on awareness and attentional skills is essential in nursing home care. Thus, health care workers should be given the opportunity to further develop their knowledge and relational skills, in order to “refine” their way of being present together with residents in nursing homes. Health professionals’ competence involves the “being in the doing”; that is, both the doing and the way of being are essential in health and nursing care.

Despite Symptom Severity, do Nursing Home Residents Experience Joy-of-Life? The Associations Between Joy-of-Life and Symptom Severity in Norwegian Nursing Home Residents

“…Moreover, Snowden et al, (2018) found that being able to talk to somebody about what is on your mind is crucial and the only necessary in spiritual care. Hence, talking to nurses, also termed nurse–patient interaction (Haugan, 2021), and others about what is on one’s mind seem essential to well-being among NH residents (Haugan et al, 2020). Professionals in NHs should facilitate possibilities for NH residents to have visitors and contact with friends and family.…”

Despite Symptom Severity, do Nursing Home Residents Experience Joy-of-Life? The Associations Between Joy-of-Life and Symptom Severity in Norwegian Nursing Home Residents

“…Moreover, Snowden et al, (2018) found that being able to talk to somebody about what is on your mind is crucial and the only necessary in spiritual care. Hence, talking to nurses, also termed nurse-patient interaction (Haugan, 2021), and others about what is on one's mind seem essential to well-being among NH residents (Haugan et al, 2020). Professionals in NHs should facilitate possibilities for NH residents to have visitors and contact with friends and family.…”

“…Existential loneliness can also arise when people lack previous experiences relevant to their present situation or in times of uncertainty such as during an illness (Sundström et al, 2019). This description might be suitable to the experience of old people living in NHs, but at the same time, NH residents also need to spend time alone in silence talking to themselves and resting their minds (Drageset et al, 2017;Haugan, 2014aHaugan, , 2021. The present results disclosed the lowest scores for perceived meaning in life, feeling valuable, and being able to contribute to others, as well as engaging in one's surroundings and meaningful activities.…”

Self‐transcendence among adults 65 years and older: A meta‐analysis

“…Such acceptance derives from meaningful dialogues about one's daily experiences as well as the experiences throughout one's life journey, namely opportunities to talk about ‘what is on one's mind’, which is termed the core of spiritual care (16). Therefore, nurse–patient interaction performs as a health‐promoting asset in NHs (13–15), supporting both ST, meaning‐in‐life and wellbeing in this specific context. Consequently, health professionals need knowledge about meaning‐in‐life, ST and nurse–patient interaction, and guidance in how to facilitate wellbeing by means of these approaches.…”

“…Research has shown that among religious/spiritual as well as non‐religions/non‐spiritual individuals, ‘being able to talk about what was on my mind’ was deemed most important. Being listened to, having one's faith/beliefs valued and being understood are all important aspects of health‐promoting nurse–patient interaction (13–15). Nevertheless, being able to talk about what was on one's mind has been reported the most important aspects of spiritual care (16).…”