Nurses' and midwives' experiences and views about responding to out of work emergencies: A constructivist grounded theory study

AIM

To explore nurses' and midwives' experiences, views, perceptions and impact on their responses to out of work emergencies where first aid may be required.

DESIGN

A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted between 2012 and 2019.

METHODOLOGY

In-depth, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 16 nurses and midwives. Participants were recruited via a participant referral process with registered nurses and midwives being accessed from three NHS organizations. Data were analysed and coded using constant comparative analysis with the support of Nvivo 10 software leading to the construction of a substantive grounded theory.

RESULTS

A core enduring in vivo theme, 'The Right Thing to Do', emerged as a central conceptual reality constructed via three key in vivo themes; 'Something I've Heard', 'Am I Covered?' and 'Just Who I Am', each with several sub-themes. A pervading anxiety about responding at off-duty situations requiring first aid was persistently evident across these themes.

CONCLUSION

The study showed a strong sense of moral agency among nurses and midwives, despite a powerful underlying feeling of anxiety surrounding broader issues of urban myth, protection and personal and professional identity. The substantive theory emerged as 'doing "The Right Thing" in a climate of anxiety'.

IMPACT

The study illuminates an area that has previously been the subject of anecdotal debate. The substantive theory, 'doing "The Right Thing" in a climate of anxiety' illustrates the issues and tensions that exist surrounding the off-duty response. Implications and recommendations for practice and education focus on the fostering of knowledge and understanding of professional identity, position in law and scope of practice, together with potential future research directions. This work provides the first in-depth qualitative study contributing a significant new perspective both nationally and globally.

A case study of asthma care in school age children using nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary collaborative practices

Aim

To describe the role of school nursing in leading and coordinating a multidisciplinary networked system of support for children with asthma, and to analyze the strengths and challenges of undertaking and supporting multiagency interprofessional practice.

Background

The growth of networked and interprofessional collaborations arises from the recognition that a number of the most pressing public health problems cannot be addressed by single-discipline or -agency interventions. This paper identifies the potential of school nursing to provide the vision and multiagency leadership required to coordinate multidisciplinary collaboration.

Method

A mixed-method single-case study design using Yin’s approach, including focus groups, interviews, and analysis of policy documents and public health reports.

Results

A model that explains the integrated population approach to managing school-age asthma is described; the role of the lead school nurse coordinator was seen as critical to the development and sustainability of the model.

Conclusion

School nurses can provide strategic multidisciplinary leadership to address pressing public health issues. Health service managers and commissioners need to understand how to support clinicians working across multiagency boundaries and to identify how to develop leadership skills for collaborative interprofessional practice so that the capacity for nursing and other health care professionals to address public health issues does not rely on individual motivation. In England, this will be of particular importance to the commissioning of public health services by local authorities from 2015.