Veronica Guerra Guerrero

Universidad Catolica del Maule
Chile

Abstract Title: Competencies for Humanized Care of Nursing Graduates from a Higher Education Institution

Biography:

Verónica Guerra Guerrero has completed her PhD at the age of 37 years from Universidad de Cpcepción and postdoctoral studies from University of Alberta. She is the director of Unidad de Humanización de la Salud y Centro de Investigación del Cuidado. She has published more than 25 papers in reputed journals and has been serving as an editorial board member of repute.

Research Interest:

Background: The humanized approach to nursing education aims to ensure that students interact empathetically with patients, treating them as unique and whole beings, beyond their illness or physical condition. This involves the development of cognitive, procedural, and interpersonal skills. The research is based on Jean Watson's theory of human caring, which places caring at the core of nursing. Objective: to analyze the humanized caring competencies acquired by nursing graduates during their training at a university in the Maule Region, considering their life experiences and the perspective of Jean Watson's theory of humanized caring.

Methods: This qualitative, descriptive study, with a phenomenological approach, used a non-probability snowball sampling method with a sample of nine individuals. The sample size was determined based on the data saturation criterion. A semi-structured interview with four guiding questions was used. The data analysis was thematic, following Van Manen's approach. The research was approved by the Scientific Ethics Committee of the Catholic University of Maule.

Results: The participants were 5 women and 4 men, with an average of 3 years of professional experience at different levels of healthcare, both public and private. Through thematic analysis, five fundamental competencies for humanized care were identified: Knowledge, Technique, Ethical Care, Interpersonal Relationships, and Spiritual Accompaniment. These competencies are expressed through subtopics that demonstrate a balance between knowing, knowing how to do, and knowing how to be.

Conclusion: The graduates reported having acquired key competencies for humanized care during their academic training, highlighting the role of theory and practice in the development of these skills. However, they identified challenges in applying these competencies in the real clinical context, especially in aspects related to emotional management, workload, and environmental conditions. It is recommended to strengthen continuing education and professional self-care strategies to ensure comprehensive, ethical, and patient-centered care.

Keywords: Humanized Care, Nursing Competencies, Nursing Education, Nursing Graduates, Theory of Human Caring. (MeSH)