Jarras con decoración aplicada de tipo hathórico

Subthemes:

Selecting applicable caring action 5 5 50

Linking caring and performance management 7 7 70

Mentoring others 5 6 50

Theme 3: Expressing Compassion and Caring

The nurse executives which participated in this study were interested in sharing their lived experience of demonstrating compassion toward staff. The participants were questioned regarding experiences of exhibiting caring. Additionally, the nurse executives answered questions related to barriers they have faced in their career when attempting to demonstrate caring toward others. The identified themes reflect the participants’ perceptions regarding the caring process from the nurse executives’ perspective.

Subtheme 1: Selecting Applicable Caring Action

A significant part of an IPA data analysis is to explore the context within which the phenomenon takes place (Pietkiewicz & Smith, 2014). Subtheme 1, which emerged from the data collected for this study, reflected the nurse executives’ experience in selecting caring actions

suited to the situation and stake holders. P2 recounted an experience during which the options of caring actions were limited based on the nature of the situation; however, the selected caring behavior resulted in a positive response from the staff member.

P2: I got a phone call from as staff member stating she had experienced domestic abuse

and had left ….. so, I said, are you safe? Where are you? And she said that she'd gone someplace else, but she really needed a shelter…and so I just said, if you can get here to the hospital, you know, you're going home with me tonight

P4 discussed the use of excellence recognition programs as a caring action to keep staff nurses engaged with the organization.

P4: I (Initiated) a recognition program for extraordinary nurses and make sure we

celebrate nurse day/week. Rewards and recognitions have received positive feedback from staff.

In some circumstances, questioning the staff and listening to their needs facilitated the study participants selection of the appropriate caring action. P7 provided details regarding an experience where staff input led to a caring behavior that increased collaboration amongst organizational leaders.

P7: The nurse leaders said they had never met (to discuss issues). So, I had a facilitator

come in and help us do some team building and help us start to set some strategies.

Subtheme 2: Linking Caring and Performance Management

A unique and unexpected finding of this study was the significance the participants placed on caring and compassion as a technique to facilitate performance management and

improvement. This finding supported the development of Subtheme 2 from the data. P6 reported on an occasion when caring action included providing positive feedback.

P6: (A patient family member complimented the care of one of the nurses.) So, then I

came back (to my office) and I looked up (the nurses name). She had a different patient that day, but I looked her up and I shared the positive feedback.

For P7, a caring opportunity was identified during the resolution of a performance issue.

P7: The first time I had demonstrated compassion towards the staff person was when I

had to talk to her about her absenteeism and learned she struggled with substance abuse. Understanding what that means and understanding the things that you can put in place (actions) to help that individual and to bring them back to work (is important).

P10 described how dealing with performance management issues in a timely and caring manner is important to retaining talent.

P10: …we have a responsibility to deal with things early and even though it doesn't

seem like it's a big deal by not addressing it, we almost lost two of our highest performers in the organization; you know, if you have that baseline, that trust (from demonstrating caring), it makes (performance management) so much easier

Subtheme 3: Mentoring Others

While the other participants did not specifically delineate informal leadership projects as fundamental to their own experience, they did speak to using this technique with the individuals they are currently preparing for formal leadership roles. P3 detailed an event where a nursing staff member was seeking a new formal leadership role. Engaging with the individual and

discussing ways to expand her leadership experience, according to P3, offered a significant mentoring opportunity.

P3: I said, if I let you jump that (many) levels (from staff nurse to unit manager) you're

going to fail, you’ve got to do some of the steps in the middle…. She said, well, how do I do that? I said, that's why we're here. I said, let's talk about that…. what if I give you a project? she said, what do you want me to do?

P5 described how mentoring others includes not only subordinates but colleagues as well. Additionally, P5 related the importance of the reciprocal mentorship that occurs when colleagues support each other.

P5: Our early morning risers ……. gives us (on the executive leadership team) the

opportunity to connect, um, to mentor each other, to have very thoughtful conversations that early time of the day without the interruptions of the business of the day.

Influences regarding Compassion and Caring

Participants in this study were asked what factors they perceived as influencing their practice of compassion and caring as a nurse executive. Responses to these questions reflected both internal and external factors and included dependence on spiritual beliefs and values, experience, work culture, and emotional distress of others. Additionally, the participants discussed situations where they had to make an unpopular decision and work to justify that decision with their teams. The metrics regarding the subthemes are found in Table 16. Each subtheme is listed below with corresponding quotes from the interview transcripts.

Table 16

Theme and Subthemes: Influences Regarding Compassion and Caring

Category: Internal and external factors influence ability to express compassion and caring Theme/Subthemes Number of Files Number of Responses Frequency of Occurrence (%)