Nurses' strategies when providing for patients' aesthetic needs. Personal experiences of aesthetic means of expression.

The present study was conducted at five hospitals in Sweden. Data were collected by a random procedure from registered nurses (N = 165) in face-to-face interviews. The study reports on how and why nurses provide for patients' aesthetic needs. Open substantive coding of each interview fractured the data. The category of good for the patient was identified in the following nurses" statements: "The patient became relaxed" and "It distracted the patient from her pain." Regarding the question about how nurses provide for the patients' aesthetic needs, they did it in a nonactive manner. They used the basic service available at the wards. It could be concluded that although nurses show concern for patients' aesthetic needs, there is still more to be learned in this area of research. Nurses need to be encouraged to actively incorporate aesthetic means of expression in nursing practice.