Development of an educational programme to support caring behaviours in nursing

Background The foundation and core value of the nursing profession is caring. Good caregiving ultimately results in patient satisfaction. The current evidence shows that patients and nurses are not satisfied with the provision of care by nurses. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of patients, nurses, and student nurses regarding nurses’ caring behaviours in Pakistan and develop an educational programme to enhance knowledge and understanding of the importance of caring in practice. Methods This study had three phases. Phase one: a mixed-methods systematic review was conducted to synthesise the literature on the perceptions of caring behaviours among patients, nurses, and student nurses. Overall, 43 articles were reviewed and thematic analysis was used to synthesise the data. Phase two: a qualitative exploratory-descriptive study was conducted. Overall, 45 participants were interviewed and framework analysis was used to analyse data. Phase three: based on the findings in phase two, an educational programme pertaining to caring behaviours was developed by using the ADDIE framework. Nine stakeholders provided feedback on the educational programme. Findings The phase one informed the design and development of the topic guide for phase two. In phase two, eleven overarching concepts emerged from the participants’ accounts. In phase three, the Caring Conceptual Framework developed from the qualitative findings was used to develop an educational programme on caring behaviours. A comprehensive plan was developed and discussed with the stakeholders to identify its relevance and applicability. Conclusion This thesis achieved the aim of the study. The study findings contribute to the body of knowledge in the field of empirical research and practice. It enhances the knowledge and understating of the importance of caring behaviour in nursing practice. It highlights the importance of integrating caring concepts in nursing curricula and continuous in-service education for nurses. The educational programme is intended to help nurses to provide quality care to patients, potentially improving patient outcomes.