Knowledge of patients' life experiences strengthens patient care. By exploring the patient's own experiences of health, illness and suffering, we want to strengthen patient care with a special emphasis on meetings between patients, health care professionals and carers.
Life phenomena and caring
Kari Kaldestad
27
3
2021-2023
Health problems are often complex, and many of them are related to the individual's subjective health perception. As the research group for life phenomena and caring see it, there is a gap between the patient's experienced suffering and the growing technical and procedurally oriented patient care. The group wants to introduce a framework for clinical practice, intended to contribute to fill the gap so that the patient's overall situation and experiences form the basis for a more comprehensive care.
Life phenomena can be understood as various ethical and existential phenomena of life itself. Increased insight about these life phenomena creates a possibility to draw attention to the patient experience which is fundamental for a good, professional and safe holistic care.
Caring is seeing the person with participating and intense presence, which makes senses, emotions, intellect and the drive to act, open and active in the situation. Caring involves understanding life phenomena in context.
Health care professionals should consider the patient's holistic situation and the importance of life phenomena. New knowledge in these areas can strengthen patient care and contribute to development in clinical practice.
Researchers
PhD fellows
Department of Quality and Health Technology
Department of Caring and Ethics
Department of Caring and Ethics
Associated researchers and fellows
- Elin Salemonsen, associate professor, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
- Lise Beyene, associate professor, VID Specialized University
- Britt Marit Haga, associate professor, VID Specialized University
- Kari Thorkildsen, associate professor, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
- Karolina Mæland, assistant professor, University of Stavanger and PhD fellow, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
- Christophe Eward Kattouw, PhD fellow, SHARE - Centre for Resilience in Healthcare, University of Stavanger