Nursing brings together two persons' worlds, one being that of the nurse and
the other of the patient. Their worlds embody past experiences, expectations,
limitations and potential. Nurse theorists have described this bringing together
as an intersecting intersubjectivity or presence. This Heideggerian
phenomenological study enabled the researcher to explore six registered
nurses' meaning of presence as experienced within their clinical practice.
These registered nurses were all clinicians with extensive experience in a
variety of clinical settings. A hermeneutical analysis of their experiences
revealed that presence is a powerful intersecting of nurses' and patients'
subjective worlds. Presence, according to these nurses, was an enriching
experience within nursing practice that provided them with immense
professional satisfaction. It was from the spiritual connectedness of care that
their need to care for and be with patients in meaningful interactions was
fulfilled. Despite the difficulties these participants encountered, their
commitment to care and need to find meaning in their practice motivated them
to transcend these encumbrances and connect with patients in deep meaningful
ways. This study recommends strategies be implemented within nursing to
acknowledge these experiences, and for nurses to create times and space to
share these subjective experiences.