Professional Development: Iranian and Swedish Nurses' Experiences of Caring for Dying People

Our world is rapidly becoming a global community. This creates a need for us to further understand the universal phenomena of death and professional care for dying persons. A transcultural study was undertaken using a phenomenological approach to illuminate the meaning of nurses' experiences of professional development in the contexts of Iran and Sweden. Eight registered nurses working in oncology units in Tehran, Iran, and eight working in the context of a hospital and private homes in northern Sweden were interviewed. The interviews were analyzed using the principles of phenomenological hermeneutics inspired by Paul Ricoeur. A naive reading guided a structural analysis, which yielded four main themes: coping with existential, organizational, and cultural contexts; sharing knowledge, experiences, and responsibilities; using embodied knowledge; and developing personal competence. The interpreted comprehensive understanding revealed that the meaning of professional development is that it actualizes other-oriented values and self-oriented values. Caring professionally for dying people was a learning process that could help nurses to develop their personal and professional lives when they were supported by teamwork, reflective practice, and counselling.