Nursing Concept Analysis for Hope

Concept Analysis: Hope
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Institution
Concept Analysis: Hope
Concept analysis plays an important role in nursing. According to Moran et al. (2020), it allows nurses to precisely define a problem by clearly defining its characteristics. Below is a concept analysis of hope.
Introduction
Hope is considered an essential concept for human existence and survival as it gives people the willpower to fight and expect better outcomes in life. According to Al-Ja'freh et al. (2017), hope is a source of meaning in life, and it adds value to human life. As a concept, hope is not based on facts or logic but on the strong desire to have a better life with better outcomes. In healthcare, particularly in nursing, hope plays a significant role in patients' health and well-being. It is important to understand the concept of hope through concept analysis. This will ensure that nurses not only understand what characterizes hope but also the precursors and consequences of hope and how it can be applied in nursing care to enhance patients' recovery and well-being.
Definition and Uses of Concept
There are many definitions of hope that have been presented in the literature. Holtslander et al. (2019) define hope as the desire for good and the expectation for something better to happen. Foster et al. (2021) define hope as a continuous act of actively overcoming the desire to give up when things get really bad and difficult. Rather than give up and accept defeat, hope allows people to be optimistic about the future regardless of their current situation. Hope is used by patients, caregivers, and families to deal with difficult situations and cope with life-threatening health conditions. Healthcare providers usually do what they can to foster hope among patients and families dealing with deteriorating health conditions (Holtslander et al., 2019) because, at the end of the day, hope is essential in creating meaning in life.
Defining Attributes
According to Moran et al. (2020), defining attributes allow nurses to differentiate one concept from another. To do so, the nurse should look at the consistent characteristics of the concept. In defining the attributes of overcoming, Brush et al. (2011) identified characteristics such as recognizing an undesirable situation, determination to change the situation, and belief that the change will improve the quality of life. The defining characteristics of hope include:
* Feelings of uncertainty- Individuals often face situations that could lead to poor outcomes, such as death from a life-threatening condition. It is always possible that something bad could come out of the situation, but there is no assurance (Holtslander et al., 2019). This often leads to feelings of uncertainty about what might happen. People in such cases can only maintain hope.
* Expectations of a positive or desirable outcome- Despite what is happening to them in their current situation, people and patients, in particular, hope that they will recover (Foster et al., 2021).
* A focus on the future- People look forward to what will or might happen in the future.
Antecedents
Antecedents refer to the events that occur before the concept; they precede it (Moran et al., 2020). They allow nurses to deeply understand the concept. The antecedents of hope are pain and suffering, symptoms control, interpersonal relationships, and spirituality. As Guedes et al. (2021) indicate, patients experience great suffering as they deal with health conditions. To overcome this suffering, they may start hoping and looking forward to the time they will recover. Also, they can go through or manage their symptoms by hoping that their health will get better in the future. Foster et al. (2021) also indicate that people find meaning through interpersonal connections that become the source of their hope. As such, interpersonal relationships are important antecedents of hope. Further, spirituality also gives people meaning and helps them find meaning in illnesses and difficult situations (Foster et al., 2021). Thus, spirituality is an antecedent of hope.
Consequences
Consequences refer to the events that occur as a result of the existence of a concept; they are the outcomes of a concept (Brush et al., 2011; Moran et al., 2020). The positive outcomes of hope, in this context, are the consequences. They include improved quality of life and survival. According to Guedes et al. (2021), patients who have hope experience a more improved quality of life and may survive because of strong optimism as they look forward to a better tomorrow. Also, Foster et al. (2021) reveal that hope has been associated with recovery and healing and can explain why some people recover from an illness and others fail to recover from the same illness.
Model Case
A model case shows all the defining characteristics of the concept being investigated (Brush et al., 2011). The model case for hope in this context is as follows. Mrs. B is a 50-year-old with adult-onset asthma. She was recently diagnosed with severe asthma. In her second visit to the clinic, she complained of chest tightness and shortness of breath. She has frequent exacerbations. She feels uncertain about her condition and is unsure whether she will be able to manage it. She is supposed to take daily medication, but she is not sure she can ...