Wei Cheng1, Jiong Tu2, Xiaoyan Shen1. 1. Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, 510282, Guangzhou, China. 2. School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-sen University, 510275, Guangzhou, China. tujiongnk@gmail.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: With China's population ageing rapidly, stroke is becoming one of the major public health problems. Nurses are indispensable for caring for older patients with acute and convalescent stroke, and their working experiences are directly linked to the quality of care provided. The study aims to investigate registered nurses' experiences of caring for older stroke patients. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 26 registered nurses about their lived experiences of caring for older stroke patients. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified. First, the nurses identified an obvious gap between their ideal role in elderly care and their actual practice. The unsatisfactory reality was linked to the practical difficulties they encountered in their working environment. Second, the nurses expressed conflicting feelings about caring for older stroke patients, displaying a sense of accomplishment, indifference, annoyance, and sympathy. Caring for older stroke patients also affects nurses psychologically and physically. The nurses were clear about their own roles and tried their best to meet the elderly people's needs, yet they lack time and knowledge about caring for older stroke patients. The factors influencing their working experiences extend beyond the personal domain and are linked to the wider working environment. CONCLUSIONS: Sustaining the nursing workforce and improving their working experiences are essential to meet the care needs of older people. Understanding nurses' lived working experiences is the first step. At the individual level, nurse mangers should promote empathy, relieve anxiety about aging, and improve the job satisfaction and morale of nurses. At the institutional level, policymakers should make efforts to improve the nursing clinical practice environment, increase the geriatric nursing education and training, achieve a proper skill mix of the health workforce, and overall attract, prepare and sustain nurses regarding caring for older people in a rapidly aging society.
BACKGROUND: With China's population ageing rapidly, stroke is becoming one of the major public health problems. Nurses are indispensable for caring for older patients with acute and convalescent stroke, and their working experiences are directly linked to the quality of care provided. The study aims to investigate registered nurses' experiences of caring for older strokepatients. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was adopted. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews with 26 registered nurses about their lived experiences of caring for older strokepatients. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Two main themes were identified. First, the nurses identified an obvious gap between their ideal role in elderly care and their actual practice. The unsatisfactory reality was linked to the practical difficulties they encountered in their working environment. Second, the nurses expressed conflicting feelings about caring for older strokepatients, displaying a sense of accomplishment, indifference, annoyance, and sympathy. Caring for older strokepatients also affects nurses psychologically and physically. The nurses were clear about their own roles and tried their best to meet the elderly people's needs, yet they lack time and knowledge about caring for older strokepatients. The factors influencing their working experiences extend beyond the personal domain and are linked to the wider working environment. CONCLUSIONS: Sustaining the nursing workforce and improving their working experiences are essential to meet the care needs of older people. Understanding nurses' lived working experiences is the first step. At the individual level, nurse mangers should promote empathy, relieve anxiety about aging, and improve the job satisfaction and morale of nurses. At the institutional level, policymakers should make efforts to improve the nursing clinical practice environment, increase the geriatric nursing education and training, achieve a proper skill mix of the health workforce, and overall attract, prepare and sustain nurses regarding caring for older people in a rapidly aging society.
Entities:
Keywords:
China; geriatric nursing; nursing care; qualitative research; role perception; stroke; working experience
Authors: Mia I Loft; Ingrid Poulsen; Bente A Esbensen; Helle K Iversen; Lone L Mathiesen; Bente Martinsen Journal: J Clin Nurs Date: 2017-10-01 Impact factor: 3.036
Authors: Valery L Feigin; Rita V Krishnamurthi; Priya Parmar; Bo Norrving; George A Mensah; Derrick A Bennett; Suzanne Barker-Collo; Andrew E Moran; Ralph L Sacco; Thomas Truelsen; Stephen Davis; Jeyaraj Durai Pandian; Mohsen Naghavi; Mohammad H Forouzanfar; Grant Nguyen; Catherine O Johnson; Theo Vos; Atte Meretoja; Christopher J L Murray; Gregory A Roth Journal: Neuroepidemiology Date: 2015-10-28 Impact factor: 3.282