Helen Therese Allan1, Carin Magnusson2, Khim Horton2, Karen Evans3, Elaine Ball4, Kathy Curtis5, Martin Johnson4. 1. Middlesex University, The Burroughs, Hendon, London NW4 4BT, UK. Electronic address: h.allan@mdx.ac.uk. 2. Centre for Research in Nursing & Midwifery Education, University of Surrey, UK. 3. Institute of Education, University of London, London, UK. 4. University of Salford, Salford, Greater Manchester M6 6PT, UK. 5. School of Health and Social Care, University of Surrey, UK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Little is known about how newly qualified nurses delegate to health care assistants when delivering bedside care. AIM: To explore newly qualified nurses' experiences of delegating to, and supervising, health care assistants. DESIGN: Ethnographic case studies. SETTINGS: In-patient wards in three English National Health Service (NHS) acute hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: 33 newly qualified nurses were observed, 10 health care assistants and 12 ward managers. METHODS: Participant observation and in-depth interviews. FINDINGS: We suggest that newly qualified nurses learn to delegate to, and supervise, health care assistants through re-working (`recontextualising') knowledge; and that this process occurs within a transitional (`liminal') space. CONCLUSIONS: Conceptualising learning in this way allows an understanding of the shift from student to newly qualified nurse and the associated interaction of people, space and experience. Using ethnographic case studies allows the experiences of those undergoing these transitions to be vocalised by the key people involved.
BACKGROUND: Little is known about how newly qualified nurses delegate to health care assistants when delivering bedside care. AIM: To explore newly qualified nurses' experiences of delegating to, and supervising, health care assistants. DESIGN: Ethnographic case studies. SETTINGS: In-patient wards in three English National Health Service (NHS) acute hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: 33 newly qualified nurses were observed, 10 health care assistants and 12 ward managers. METHODS:Participant observation and in-depth interviews. FINDINGS: We suggest that newly qualified nurses learn to delegate to, and supervise, health care assistants through re-working (`recontextualising') knowledge; and that this process occurs within a transitional (`liminal') space. CONCLUSIONS: Conceptualising learning in this way allows an understanding of the shift from student to newly qualified nurse and the associated interaction of people, space and experience. Using ethnographic case studies allows the experiences of those undergoing these transitions to be vocalised by the key people involved.