A final salient issue within this element of the patients
personal experience is the great diversity one might expect
from any human interaction. Recall, evaluation and meaning
of care varied greatly between individuals. Unsurprisingly
what was recalled and described was often remarkably
positive or remarkably negative (Samuelson, 2011). The
informants described what they perceived as the positive
aspects of healthcare professionals as competence and caring.
In addition, the meaning that nursing had for some
informants was that it was about having a professional person
caring for them who they had come to know personally
(Laitinen, 1996). Additionally skilled nursing embodied vigilance
and nurturing (Burfitt et al., 1993). Jablonski (1994)
noted that whilst overall relationships were positive, all
informants had at least one ‘horror story’ to relate. These
usually centred on the informant’s interpretation of uncaring
behaviour, especially on the part of nurses. A further
common complaint centred on being discussed by health
care professionals within earshot but not being involved in
the discussion.