More Than Their Bodies. Aesthetic Dimensions of Nursing Care to People With Eating Disorders

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore what it means and what it takes to focus on 'more than the body' in nursing care for hospitalized people with an eating disorder. METHODOLOGICAL AND JUSTIFICATION: Eating disorders are complex mental disorders with a high mortality. Nursing care in this context usually focuses on mealtime activities and nutritional support to help patients survive. Nevertheless, earlier studies from a patient perspective call for nursing care, focusing on more than the body and the patient's physical survival. The study is designed phenomenologically and is theoretically informed by philosophic aesthetics by the Danish philosopher, Dorthe Jørgensen. ETHICAL ISSUES AND APPROVALS: The study is approved by the Norwegian Data Protection service, SIKT (ref. number 947253). RESEARCH METHODS: The study is based on a phenomenological analysis of a single lived experience description told by an experienced nurse working within the field of eating disorders. RESULTS: The analysis shows that focusing on 'more than the body' implies invitations to people with eating disorders to participate in everyday activities which they earlier enjoyed. This means invitations into experiences of meaning and liveliness. STUDY LIMITATIONS: The study is based on one lived experience description expressed by an experienced nurse. This is commonly accepted in phenomenological research as the results point to possible human experiences of importance. Nevertheless, this is also a limitation, as other stories could point elsewhere and as the patient's own perspectives are not included. CONCLUSION: The study recommends nurses to be courageous enough to include activities that let the patient experience meaning and liveliness in the care of people with severe eating disorders.