Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Experience of Watson's Theory of Human Caring Caritas Process III

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore intensive care unit (ICU) nurses' experience of developing spiritual self to meet the significant spiritual and existential needs of patients and their families. A qualitative descriptive method with directed content analysis guided by Watson's Theory of Human Caring was utilized. From a sample of 10 ICU nurses, 3 main themes were described. The themes articulate ICU nurses' experience of personal spiritual growth as influenced by their work environment and the need for continued development of spiritual self to support their clinical role.