Speaker
Description
Background: Achieving and maintaining patient well-being is a key goal of nursing. Well-being extends beyond physical health and includes psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions. These aspects are critical in planning prevention-oriented and holistic nursing care. This study provides a 30-year perspective on how daily nursing activities in Estonia have supported different dimensions of patient well-being in hospital care.
Methods: A repeated cross-sectional survey design was used at three time points (1999, 2009, 2021) involving a total of 904 nurses. Nurses reported how much time they allocated to four domains of care (physical, mental, social, and spiritual) and evaluated the importance of each domain for patient well-being. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and correlations.
Results: Nurses consistently rated physical care as most essential, followed by mental and social aspects. Spiritual care received the least time and attention. Over the years, nurses reported increased awareness of patients’ complex needs and acknowledged the growing importance of holistic care. However, limited time for non-physical dimensions of care raises questions about the healthcare system’s capacity to address overall well-being.
Discussion: The findings highlight the importance of integrating psychosocial and spiritual care into daily nursing practice. Despite nurses’ awareness of well-being’s multidimensional nature, systemic limitations may prevent the implementation of truly holistic, prevention-oriented care. Addressing these structural barriers is vital for developing patient-centred prevention strategies in health systems.
| Conflict of interest | None declared |
|---|
