Background:

the work of a nurse is care, which implies a direct treatment with other human beings; according to time, needs and environment in which they are. In this case, in a different field, such as, an Institution for the Protection of Minors.

Objective:

to know the experience of nursing care, showing the motivations and values to care for children and adolescents in these centers, in the Araucanía Region.

Methods:

qualitative research of phenomenological design. The population is made up of three nurses, the type of sample: non-probabilistic, intentional of cases by criteria and by convenience. Inclusion criteria: a nurse who works at SENAME centers. The technique used to obtain the data was an in-depth interview. The analysis was achieved by reducing them. The validity was proved with strong criteria and, also, triangulated by researchers. The ethical principles of Ezequiel Emanuel were used.

Results:

related to the core of nursing care experience in juvenile centers, three categories were reported: motivations to practice Nursing; Nursing care and values ​​to grant nursing care. A subcategory appeared from the first one: incentive to work in the center, for the second one, beginning and evolution of Nursing Care and, for the third one, three subcategories appeared: identification of values, performance of institutional and/or professional values ​​and, finally, experience of professional values ​​in care.

Conclusions:

the motivations to enter the centers to work were job stability and economic security. In nursing care, assistance and administrative activities were identified. Nurses showed values, ​​such as, ethics, tolerance, empathy and dedication with professional and institutional property.

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