Registered Nurses' Experiences of Priorities in Surgery Care.

Sundin K, Fahlen U, Lundgren M, Jacobsson C.

Source

Department of Nursing, Umeå University, Sweden.

Abstract

Priorities and allocation are complex tasks in health care. Unspoken and also often unconscious priorities frequently occur. Research concerning how registered nurses (RN) priorities are limited. The aim of this study was to illuminate the meanings of RNs' lived experiences of priorities in surgery care. Narrative interviews were conducted with 10 RNs working in a department of surgery. The RNs interviewed had all worked for more than 5 years as RNs. A phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation of the interviews was conducted. The findings revealed 3 themes: making a conscious allocation and priorities of care, doing unreflected good, and being qualified to determine. The RNs did not often comprehend their actions as prioritizing. They more often comprehended their nursing tasks as obvious and did not consider this as priorities. But in situations of ethical difficulty, the RNs reflected upon their priority and actions.

TimAllenMDJD

Monday, February 4, 2013