vårdande

Vårdande is a Swedish term derived from the verb vårda, meaning to care for, protect, or treat. As a present participle used as an adjective, it describes actions, practices, or attitudes that aim to provide care and support. In everyday language it can appear in phrases like vårdande arbete or vårdande relation, where the focus is on the caregiver’s supportive role. In professional contexts, the term is common in nursing, social care, and rehabilitation.

Within health and social care, vårdande refers to the care dimension of practice: how caregivers attend to patients’ or clients’ physical comfort, emotional well-being, dignity, and autonomy. The concept is often linked to holistic and person-centered approaches, and it is taught in nursing and caregiving education as an essential element of professional conduct alongside technical treatment.

Vårdande care emphasizes relational aspects such as empathy, respectful communication, and ethical consideration of the person receiving care. While it is differentiated from purely curative interventions, it is typically integrated with medical or rehabilitative efforts to relieve suffering and improve quality of life.

Termen relateras ofta till omvårdnad och patientnära vård, där syftet är att stödja individens välbefinnande genom hänsyn till deras preferenser och livssituation. Se även: omvårdnad, vård, personcentrerad vård.