"Being with" the person cared for in a rehabilitation context: a profound, therapeutic and transformative human relationship

Due to the relational nature of nursing, "being with" the person that is being cared for is an essential phenomenon in the nursing profession. Furthermore, this concept lies at the very core of the philosophy of Caring, which is, according to various authors, the essence of nursing. Using Watson's Human Caring philosophy as the disciplinary perspective, this phenomenological study has explored, with nurses working in rehabilitation (n=17), the meaning of the experience of "being with" the person cared for, as well as the nurses' perception of the contribution of this experience in the rehabilitation of the cared-for person. A total of 51 interviews, three for every participant, were analyzed using the Relational Caring Inquiry phenomenological method developed by Cara (1997). Through data analysis five eidos-themes have emerged; the following four related to the significance of "being with" the cared-for person: the importance of humanistic values at the core of care; the involvement of the nurse and the cared-for person; the reciprocal and relational dimensions of care, and the irreplaceable care experience of contextual complexity. The fifth and last eidos-theme--enhancing the body-soul-spirit harmony of the person cared-for and of the nurse--leads participants to perceive the therapeutic contribution of the experience of "being with" the cared-for person during their rehabilitation process. These results have contributed to the emergence of the meaning of the phenomenon studied: "a deep, therapeutic, and transforming human relationship". All the results lead to innovative implications and suggest possible interventions that can serve as guides to renew the clinical practice of nurses in rehabilitation, as well as the education and research in nursing science.