The Concept of Dignity in Health Care: Perspectives from Final-Year Students at a Chilean University

The word “dignity” refers to a certain pre-eminence of the human being, granting it an irreplaceable value. It is universal and common to all people. To safeguard dignity, health professionals must have a correct understanding of its meaning and how it manifests through concrete actions in daily care. From this perspective, we sought to understand how health students perceive this concept and use it in patient care during clinical practice. This study aimed to unveil the concept of dignity from the experiences of final-year health students at a Chilean university. Seventeen final-year university students from nursing, physiotherapy, medicine, obstetrics, and occupational therapy programs participated in the study. Data were collected through qualitative questionnaires, seventeen in-depth interviews, and a focus group conducted between March and November 2022. Grounded theory was used for data analysis. For the students, dignity is an inherent value to every human being throughout their life cycle, regardless of their health condition. The concept is developed through modelling by parents and university professors and enriched by experiences during clinical practice. It manifests through respect for individuality, privacy, and the value of the person, recognising the reciprocity between patient and caregiver. It is considered a fundamental ethical premise in both personal and professional fields. The study concludes that the dignity of the person is a central value for health students. For the educators of future professionals, promoting dignity should be an ethical responsibility that encompasses both theoretical teachings and practical experiences.