Nurse's lived experiences of preservation of patient's dignity

Considering and preserving patients’ human dignity is one of the most essential moral obligations in the medical and nursing professions. Indeed، respecting patients’ human dignity is the essence of nursing care which is frequently emphasized by national and international nursing standards. This study was conducted based on the qualitative approach، using an interpretive phenomenological method، which aimed to explore the meaning of patients’ dignity preservation based on nurses’ lived experiences. Using purposeful sampling method، a sample of 12 participants was chosen and the data were collected through 16 individual، in-depth and semi-structured interviews. The transcribed interviews were analyzed based on the hermeneutic approach using the analysis method proposed by Diekelmann، Allen and Tanner (1989). The mentioned interviews continued until no new meanings emerged and until the researchers were satisfied with the depth of their understanding. Through fusion of the horizons of the participants’ lived experiences and the researchers’ pre-understandings، the extracted meanings of patients’ dignity preservation emerged as: “respecting the equal human essence”، “providing professional patient-centered care” and “respecting the rights of patients’ companions”. The findings revealed that it is essential to respect the patients’ and also their companions’ rights and recognize the humanness and individuality of each patient for preserving and promoting patients’ dignity and providing more dignified care at the bedside.