The current state of the center for the creation and dissemination of new Japanese nursing science: The 21st century Center of Excellence at Chiba University School of Nursing

Abstract

Aim:  The Center of Excellence for the Creation and Dissemination of a New Japanese Nursing Science at Chiba University School of Nursing is now in its third year of operation. This center aims to develop nursing science that is appropriate for Japanese culture and to internationally disseminate the importance of culturally based care. Our project seeks to systematically transform the art of nursing practise into a nursing science.

Method:  To date, multiple frameworks have been created through the qualitative meta-synthesis of research on effective nursing care. To create a nursing science, these frameworks derived from meta-synthesis must be verified and internalized in nursing practise.

Results:  After three years of research, the following findings are emerging: professional care relationships in nursing practise in Japan are characterized by the bidirectional process between the nurse and the client, in which both gradually undergo a transformation in order to establish a collaborative, therapeutic relationship; Japanese nurses emphasize the importance of understanding adolescent clients’ subjective understanding of their own life with self-care, as well as social support; and the priority for community health nurses in Japan is to create support systems in the community, regardless of whether the intended client is an individual, a family, a specific group, or the community as a whole.

Conclusions:  Our future efforts will focus on verifying our findings through interdisciplinary and international comparative research and by integrating various frameworks in order to create a new Japanese nursing science.