Intimacy and intimate care are concepts that are not freely used in nursing education, practice, and literature because of their sexual connotation. Nursing students provide basic nursing care to diverse patients. This care requires exposing and touching body parts considered intimate, private, or sexual in nature. This encounter may bring about feelings of anxiety, embarrassment, and discomfort for both nursing students and patients. The purpose of this study was to develop and describe a model for facilitating teaching of intimate care to nursing students in South Africa. A theory-generating, phenomenological qualitative design which was explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature was utilize to develop a model for facilitating teaching of intimate care to nursing students. A combination of stages of theory-generating by Chinn and Kramer (2011:184-205) and Dickoff, James and Wiedenbach (1968:431-434) were used to identify and define the main concept. A description of the model entailed a visual portrayal, and a description of the structure and process of the model, as well as evaluating it. Guidelines for operationalizing the model were also developed. It is envisaged that the developed model will empower nursing students to implement intimate care competently, comfortably, and confidently. This will enable them to establish nurse-patient intimate relationships, based on trust, respect, and dignity.

Keywords: Intimacy, intimate care, facilitating, teaching, therapeutic nurse-patient relationship, intimate care conflict

Biography:
Sheila Mokoboto-Zwane is a Senior Lecturer & Researcher at UNISA in South Africa. She has published many articles in different journals.