Care and caring culture as experienced by nurses working in different care environments: A phenomenological–hermeneutic study

AimThe aim is to understand and develop the concept of care and caring culture and to do so based on the empirical/phenomenological standpoint of nurses’ lived experiences of working in different environments.BackgroundCulture, care and caring are significant concepts mentioned and used in connection with nursing practice. In the nursing literature, the ‘caring culture’ as a concept is mostly taken for granted, and it is up to the reader to determine what caring culture means.MethodA phenomenological–hermeneutic method was used to uncover the meaning of lived experiences though interpretation of interviews transcribed as text. Seventeen nurses working on different wards were interviewed in 2006. A follow-up focus-group discussion was conducted with seven of the nurses 1 year later for validation of the findings.FindingsThematic analyses revealed five themes: you have to adapt to the existing care culture; seeing the invisible; being yourself; the strong personalities; the patients must adapt themselves to the circumstances. Adaptation to unwritten routines entails adaptation to the culture and the common value system. On wards described as “homelike”, nurses may act in a way that reflects their own values.DiscussionThe care and caring culture can be understood from the perspective of what it means to care and from the perspective of how care provision is accomplished. To attain a caring culture founded on certain values, for example caritas, love and charity, we must first understand how the organization and personnel understand caring.