Search

Background: Dignity is a central human value supported by nurses' professional ethics. In previous studies, nurses in clinical practice have experienced that dignity increased their work well-being and pride of work. Dignity is also strictly interweaved to professional identity in the different nursing' roles, but little is known about dignity among public health nurses and primary care settings. Purpose: This study aimed to describe the perceptions of nursing's professional dignity of public health nurses in primary care in Finland. Research design: An inductive qualitative descriptive approach with semi-structured focus group interviews was utilised. Participants and research context: Twenty-seven Finnish public health nurses were interviewed via eight semi-structured focus group interviews in primary health care settings. Ethical considerations: Before data collection, research permissions were obtained from participating health care centres. This type of research in Finland, with competent adult participants, does not require ethical pre-assessment but written and oral informed consent obtained before the interviews. Findings: Based on our findings, public health nurses perceived that professional dignity was (1) part of their self-respect, an observed daily value based on their acknowledged competence. Besides, they perceived that (2) service users' trust in public health nurses was a strong expression of professional dignity, and it could be uncovered when recipients of care utilised their services. In addition, public health nurses experienced that (3) professional dignity was an expression of different intertwined interprofessional and social factors. Discussion and conclusion: Professional dignity is simultaneously an essential prerequisite and an outcome of public health nurses' work. In future, more information would be needed to implement strategies in primary health care to foster nurses' professional dignity also in international public health arenas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To understand the experiences and support needs of informal caregivers of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases chronic obstructive pulmonary disease who return home following an acute exacerbation. Background: The presence of an informal caregiver is important to provide practical and emotional support after an episode of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. However, caregiving in such circumstances can be challenging and stressful. Design: Phenomenology. Methods: This is a phenomenological study based on semi‐structured interviews with sixteen primary caregivers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Interview data were analysed using Colaizzi's descriptive analysis framework, to identify significant themes and sub‐themes. Data were collected between April‐December 2017 in a Teaching Hospital in Italy. The study was designed and reported following the COREQ guidelines and checklist. Results: Analysis elicited five themes embracing various aspects of the caregivers' lived experiences: (a) a home disrupted, (b) living with constant vigilance and anxiety, (c) feeling the need to escape (d) self‐justifications for caregiving role/duty, and (e) feeling abandoned by professionals. Conclusions: Our results show that carers experience a range of difficulties when caring for their relative at home with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Some of these are linked to the physical disruption of their home but many are linked to feelings of inability to cope and the psycho‐social impact of the caring role. The study also shows how participants felt unsupported by professionals. Focused support for carers is required to enable them to meet these challenges. Relevance to clinical practice: Healthcare professionals should be trained to provide technical and psychological support to caregivers especially during the phases of disease that may involve episodes of exacerbation. Home care and continuity of care can work if there is excellent communication and collaboration between healthcare professionals and caregivers. Developing appropriate support for family caregivers is essential to address the problems they can face. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: To explore the experience of patients affected by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following hospitalisation due to an acute exacerbation event. Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressively debilitating disease, often with very burdensome symptoms such as acute and chronic breathlessness and fatigue. Acute exacerbation often creates a life‐threatening event. Exacerbation can also have substantial psychological effects including anxiety and depression although this aspect is less well researched—especially amongst people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease recovering from an acute event and facing a return home. Design: A descriptive phenomenological study. Methods: In‐depth interviews were conducted with 12 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients recently recovering from an acute exacerbation of their chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's phenomenological framework. Results: Four themes were identified from the data: a sense of loss and frustration, hopelessness, uncertainty about the future and fear of becoming a burden. Participants expressed quite negative views including a loss of hope, uncertainty about their future care and the burden they may become on their families. They appeared stressed and anxious as a result of the acute event they had experienced. Conclusions: This study shows that an acute episode of illness can generate a sense of hopelessness and uncertainty about their future care in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This occurs as they recover physically and think about the future, often in quite negative terms. Relevance to clinical practice: For healthcare professionals, it is important to take into account the potential feelings of loss, hopelessness and uncertainty that people can experience following an acute exacerbation of their chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and ensure that psychological care is available as physical recovery takes place. Such care to include good discharge planning, giving patients time to express concerns and referral to counselling services if appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To investigate the lived subjective experiences of immigrant Indian nurses in Italy and specifically their professional and social integration. Background To study the worldwide, nursing flux is a health priority in the globalised world. The growth in migration trends among nurses, not only from Philippines or India, has proliferated in recent years. The research on nurses' mobility for Southern European countries is underexplored, and in Italy, the out-migration flows of Indian nurses were never analysed. Design Qualitative methodological approach. Methods Semi-structured interviews ( n = 20) were completed with Indian clinical nurses working in Italy for more than one year mainly in private organisations. A purposive sampling technique was used for recruitment. The data were then content-analysed using an inductive method. Results The findings were categorised into four themes: (1) aspects of professional integration and working experience, (2) intra- and interprofessional relationships and perceptions of the IPASVI Regulatory Nursing Board, (3) initial nursing education and continuous professional development and (4) perceptions of social integration. Conclusion The results show that for Indian nurses in Italy emigration is important to gain opportunities to expand economic and social privileges as well as escape from historical assumptions of stigma associated with nursing work, especially for women. However, these conclusions have to be seen in wider socio-cultural complexities that are at the basis of transnational fluxes (Prescott & Nichter ). Relevance to clinical practice The research offers an insight into the complicated reasons for Indian nurses out-migration to Italy. Without comprehending the interwoven textures of the political and social relations that are continually constructed and re-constructed among different nations, it is difficult to understand nurses out-migration and consequently have a better and safer collaborative teamwork in the host countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]