Nurses' narrations and reflections about caring for patients with severe dementia as revealed in systematic clinical supervision sessions

This study explored nurses' narrations about and reflections on caving for patients with severe dementia and their interpretation of the meaning for p atients as revealed in clinical supervision sessions. The encounters betwee n patient and nurse could confirm or threaten the patient's identity as a p erson or the nurse's identity as a person and a professional. Nurses search ed for the meaning of these caring encounters, for both the patients and th emselves, based on their knowledge of each patient's earlier life and/or se nsitivity to the patient's reactions in the current situation. They pieced together these fragments of knowledge into a meaningful whole and then acte d upon this interpretation, thus restorying patients' lives. Acting in this way involves risks but also benefits. Reflective discussion about various possible interpretations balanced against the current situation seems essen tial so as not to override the integrity of both patients and nurses.