Aims Compassion in general terms is regarded as one being sufficiently aware of the suffering of another that one is moved to alleviate that suffering. As a concept it is well rehearsed in the nursing literature but in the context of dementia care in the acute care setting that literature is lacking. This study aims to address that and sets out how acute hospital nurses conceptualise compassionate care for people affected by dementia.
Methods The methodological approach aimed for democratic research with Appreciative Inquiry as the specific method to facilitate the inclusion of nurse participants. Empirically the participants worked through a four stage model which had sufficient generative capacity to stimulate a normative discourse. Data derived from that discourse was subjected to a layered thematic analysis supported by Positioning theory and Functional Linguistics.
Results there were three conceptual findings. First, the practice of acute hospital nurses could be circumscribed by four relational themes within which the initial encounters between the nurses and people with dementia emerged as highly influential. Second, acute nurse’s articulated a broad range of positions about people affected by dementia and, thirdly those positions facilitated identification of properties inherent to individual and collective concepts of compassionate dementia care. There were two methodological findings. First, Appreciative Inquiry functioned as an effective research methodology. Second, that Appreciative Inquiry had sufficient generative capacity to stimulate a normative discourse which acted to change previously held negative attitudes and beliefs about people affected by dementia.
In achieving these key findings an initial literature led and highly reflexive heuristic model was refined and strengthened to articulate six spaces of practice where compassionate dementia care could be positioned.
Conclusions a collective conceptualisation of compassionate dementia care distinct from compassionate nursing care was identified. The distinction was related to the importance of personhood and the vulnerability of people with dementia to curate and express their own sense of self.