Good Nursing Care for Older Nursing Home Clients in a Nordic Context

Introduction: In order to make nursing homes more attractive as work places in the Nordic countries, it should be important to identify possible issues that are central in good nursing care in this context. Aim: The aim of this study was to illuminate and interpret how good nursing care for older nursing home clients may be narrated by registered nurses in a Nordic context. Methods: Nine expert nurses from nursing homes in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden narrated experiences of good nursing care for older people that were tape recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed by means of qualitative content analysis. Results: Communication, creativity and community were the themes that constituted good nursing care for older people in the studied context. It was interpreted as a process of reciprocity between caregivers, clients and significant others, characterised by transcendence for the individuals that took part in the process. Discussion/Conclusion: Good nursing care in nursing homes demands mature individuals who are conscious and skilled professionals, able to create reciprocity in the care context. Such professional nurses could also serve as radiant role models to other registered nurses who are hesitant in entering nursing care of older people.