Interaction situations on the long-stay ward

The aim of this thesis is to develop nursing on the long-stay ward and to pay attention to start a discussion on interaction situations. The emerging ethical problems are often difficult and they can be interpreted in many different ways. Thus it is not always possible to know how to act. Communication, knowledge, motivation and capacity to reflection are very important factors in ethical connections along with responsibility and sincerity. The purpose of this thesis is to produce staff codes for ethical conduct for nurses on how to act in interaction situations on the long-stay ward in a hospital. The aim of the staff codes for ethical conduct is to open a discussion and make nurses aware of the problems in interaction in practise in working life. This thesis was carried out on the long-stay ward 4D in the City of Espoo Hospital. There are about 42 to 44 beds on the ward for the patients, who are between 44 to 98 years of age. In this thesis a functional model of interaction was produced for a long-stay ward in the form of staff codes for ethical conduct based both on theoretical knowledge and on the values of the City of Espoo. The starting point for producing a functional model was all the practical problems in encountering interaction in nursing practice. Hopefully the staff codes for ethical conduct will stay in full view of the staff on the ward and it they will be in use in all cases which cause problems on a long-stay ward. There are three instructions which are based on the values of the City of Espoo and which have been raised in this thesis: listen, appreciate, be present.