ABSTRACT
A brief exploration of role theory will help readers understand and appreciate the way nurses “change gears” to care for their acutely and terminally ill patients, the way they meet the needs of these two groups. Role transition occurs naturally when a nurse leaves the work setting and resumes the role of spouse, child, or parent. Nurses in such a setting operate under dichotomous ideologies of care. The nurses on Four South verbalized no feelings of role insufficiency. Caring was the unifying thread that allowed the nurses of Four South to reconcile the intentions of hospice and acute care without role conflict. Nurses were observed to use caring strategies when attempting to meet their patients’ needs. This chapter examines caring as an explanation of the findings. It explores the relationship of symbolic interactionism and caring and examines the effect of busyness on caring behaviors.
