Strategies Christian Nurses Use to Create a Healing Environment

Abstract

From Nightingale forward, nursing has understood that interaction of person, nurse, and environment facilitates optimal outcomes. Yet, there remains a need for research on the paradigm concept of environment and creation of a healing environment. This classical, grounded theory study aimed to identify (1) strategies Christian nurses used to create a healing environment and enhance well-being, (2) outcomes they perceived resulting from these strategies, and (3) factors they regarded as either enhancing or inhibiting the creation of the healing environments. A criterion-based, purposive sample of Christian nurses (N = 15) was interviewed between June 2013 and January 2014 until data saturation was reached. Data were analyzed using constant comparative methods in consultation with a grounded theory expert. “Charting the healing path,” the core category, consists of four phases: helping patients get better, fostering the healing environment, charting a healing path, and observing outcomes. The “charting the healing path” model informs development of the environment domain of nursing knowledge. Knowing the patient, the juncture of nurse and patient points of view, and the resultant nurse–patient partnership promote best potential outcomes to be realized incrementally during, and after, hospitalization.