To support as a praxis concept in caring science

摘要

The aim of this study is to, from a caring science perspective, uncover the meaning content in to support as well as it’s pragmatic features in healthcare leadership, with a focus on nurses’ health. The overall aim is to understand to support as a praxis concept in caring science. The study questions are: What does to support mean in the light of etymology and semantics? What shape has supporting in healthcare leadership with a focus on nurses’ health?The study belongs to the caring tradition and has a hermeneutic approach, where the interest of knowledge lies on understanding. The understanding deepens and the horizon broadens in the hermeneutic process where the preunderstanding goes in dialogue, with dictionaries in an etymological and a semantic analysis, and with peer reviewed articles in a contextual determination of the concept via content analysis.To support as a praxis concept in caring science integrates the concept to support and the supporting way of living. The study result in the following theses: To support ‒ to give cause for her to strive for becoming in health. To support ‒ to place fundaments on which she can securely lean against or rest on. To support ‒ not to let her fall. To support ‒ to confirm her unique dignity. To support ‒ genuine presence, where love embraces and unburdens. To support ‒ to act beneficially so she can reach her potential.In healthcare leadership supporting takes the shape of supporting in the meaning of helping, assisting, promoting and subsiding, in the meaning of promoting, favoring and encouraging as well as in the meaning of establishing. That manifests concrete in that the healthcare leader is present, guides, respects, maintains ethical fundaments, inspire development as well as is equally flexible in creating outer conditions where the nurses’ inner can flourish.