The perspectives of patients, nursing students and supervisors on “the caring–learning space” – a synthesis of and further abstraction of previous studies

ABSTRACT

The aim was to describe and gain a greater understanding of the phenomenon “caring-learning space” based on the perspectives of patients, nursing students, and supervisors in clinical practice contexts.

A general structure of the phenomenon “caring-learning space” was created based on essential structures from five empirical studies. The analysis is based on a reflective lifeworld research approach (RLR).

The “caring-learning” space shows itself in terms of interpersonal relationships between patients, students, supervisors, and other actors in the care environment. It is first when the learning space is accepted as a part of caring, that a “caring-learning space” is created. A flexibility and a receptivity are seen where the learning is allowed to become visible and be integrated in the caring processes when caring and learning to interact.

A caring-learning space is established by the patient being the focal point, but also a co-creator in caring as well as learning regardless of her/his health status. This entails that the ”caring-learning space” exists when patients, students, supervisors and other healthcare professionals interact based on their ability and role in the space.

KEYWORDS:

• Caring
• clinical practice
• learning
• lifeworld
• phenomenology

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Clinical and educational implications

• In order for the”caring-learning space” to be established, it is assumed that ethos permeates understanding and actions in clinical practice.

• The patient must be seen as a active co-creator in learning within the”caring-learning space”

• In a”caring-learning space” the conditions for interaction that are caring and learning at the same time are provided and which enables an interaction that develops and raises the quality of patient care, students’ learning and supervisors support.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Hanna Holst

Hanna Holst is a senior lecturer, and she is a member of the research group Lifeworld led Health, Caring and Learning (HCL) at Linnaeus University. Hanna has many years of experience teaching caring science and supervision at all educational levels, and she has developed the lifeworld led learning in clinical practice at Linnaeus University. Her research explores nursing students learning in health care contexts.

Lise-Lotte Ozolins

Lise-Lotte Ozolins is a senior lecturer, and she is a member of the research group Lifeworld led Health, Caring and Learning (HCL) at Linnaeus University. Lise-Lotte has many years of experience teaching caring science at all educational levels, and she has planned and developed the lifeworld led nursing student-run health clinic at Linnaeus University. Her research explores both caring and learning related to health care contexts.

David Brunt

David Brunt is Senior Professor in Caring Science at Linnaeus University. His research has covered various aspects of care in the community for people with psychiatric disabilities and forensic psychiatric care. Within the academic field he has held a number of administrative positions including Director of Studies for the PhD programme in Caring Sciences.

Ulrica Hörberg

Ulrica Hörberg is Professor in Caring Science at the Linnaeus University where she leads the research group Lifeworld led Health, Caring and Learning (HCL) and she is Director of Studies for the PhD programme in Caring Sciences. Her research explores caring and learning in educational and healthcare contexts, in addition to psychiatric and forensic psychiatric care.