Nurse Caring Behaviors from Patients’ and Nurses’ Perspective: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Caring is a complex concept but nevertheless with many definitions of it, unfortunately there is not agreement among researchers about the definitions of caring. As patients are the recipients of care, it is important to identify their perceptions of caring. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to compare nurse caring behaviors from patient's and nurse's perspective. The sample consisted of 150 patients hospitalized in Boushehr hospitals and 50 nurses caring for their patients. Data were collected using a quota sampling method and Caring Behaviors Inventory (CBI). Findings showed that, there were significant differences between patients and nurses perspective in subscales including Assurance of human presence and Attentiveness to other's experience. Moreover, there was a significant difference in total scale of nurse caring behaviors between patient's and nurse's perspective (t=2.559, P=0.011). Significant difference in nurse caring behaviors between nurse and patient satisfaction implies, howbeit nurses believe that they care for patients but can't to make an estimate of their expectations. To reduce this Gap, nurses should attend to human caring and inform patients to real caring.