Humanized Care in Nursing Practice: A Phenomenological Study of Professional Experiences in a Public Hospital

Monica Elisa Meneses-La-Riva (), Víctor Hugo Fernández-Bedoya (), Josefina Amanda Suyo-Vega, Hitler Giovanni Ocupa-Cabrera and Susana Edita Paredes-Díaz
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Monica Elisa Meneses-La-Riva: Grupo de Innovación Humanizadora, Universidad César Vallejo, Av. Alfredo Mendiola, Lima 15311, Peru
Víctor Hugo Fernández-Bedoya: Grupo de Innovación Humanizadora, Universidad César Vallejo, Av. Alfredo Mendiola, Lima 15311, Peru
Josefina Amanda Suyo-Vega: Grupo de Innovación Humanizadora, Universidad César Vallejo, Av. Alfredo Mendiola, Lima 15311, Peru
Hitler Giovanni Ocupa-Cabrera: Grupo de Innovación Humanizadora, Universidad César Vallejo, Av. Alfredo Mendiola, Lima 15311, Peru
Susana Edita Paredes-Díaz: Grupo de Innovación Humanizadora, Universidad César Vallejo, Av. Alfredo Mendiola, Lima 15311, Peru

IJERPH, 2025, vol. 22, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: This study aims to understand the meaning nursing professionals attribute to their lived experiences of providing humanized care within a public hospital setting. Grounded in Jean Watson’s theory of human caring, the research adopts a qualitative, descriptive phenomenological design to capture the perceptions and emotions of nurses regarding humanized care. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with nine experienced nurses, selected through purposive sampling. The interviews, conducted virtually between July and December 2024, were analyzed using Colaizzi’s method and supported by Atlas.ti software. Four main thematic categories emerged: institutional health policies, professional image and identity, strengths and challenges in care, and essential competencies for humanized care. The findings highlight the critical role of empathy, cultural sensitivity, ethical commitment, and emotional presence in delivering compassionate care. Participants emphasized that, beyond clinical procedures, humanized care requires relational and contextual sensitivity, often hindered by institutional limitations and excessive administrative burdens. The study concludes that nursing professionals are key agents in promoting ethical, empathetic, and culturally respectful practices that humanize health services. These insights offer valuable contributions for designing policies and training strategies aimed at strengthening humanized care as a cornerstone of quality healthcare systems.

Keywords: humanized care; nurses; organizational policy; professional identity; emotional intelligence; competencies; patient-centered care (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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