Narratives, memorable cases and metaphors of night nursing: findings from an interpretative phenomenological studyThe aim of the study was to explore the experiences of night nurses. An interpretative phenomenological study was undertaken,and 35 nurses working in Italian medical, surgical and intensive care units were purposely recruited. Data were gathered in2010 by semi-structured interviews, collecting nurses’ narratives, memorable cases and metaphors, aimed at summarising theessence of work as a nurse during the night. The experience of night nursing is based on four interconnected themes: (i) workingin a state of alert, (ii) growing by expanding autonomy and responsibility, (iii) assuring sensitive surveillance and (iv) experiencingdeep intimacy. Memorable episodes were polarised along (i) expected/unexpected events; (ii) positive/negativeepilogues; and (iii) life/death issues. Many of the emergent metaphors described working during the night as being in the middleof a space where an apparent calm scene takes place, but unpredictable factors may suddenly change the order of eventsand the outcomes, creating chaos. Working during the night alerts nurses, who increase autonomy, expanding their role andassuming more responsibility with respect to that assumed during daily shifts. The nurses’ clinical reasoning is based on datathey carefully listen to, and on the meaning that nurses give time by time to different noises and silence. While in the past asense of companionships was reported, a loneliness or a ‘neutral’ experience concerning the relationships with colleaguesseems to prevail during night nursing. Working night shifts is a complex task, and specific training must be assured to students/novices.
Narratives, memorable cases and metaphors of night nursing: findings from an interpretative phenomenological study
ZANNINI, Lucia;Martin, Sonia;PALESE, ALVISA;SAIANI, Luisa
2015-01-01
Abstract
Narratives, memorable cases and metaphors of night nursing: findings from an interpretative phenomenological studyThe aim of the study was to explore the experiences of night nurses. An interpretative phenomenological study was undertaken,and 35 nurses working in Italian medical, surgical and intensive care units were purposely recruited. Data were gathered in2010 by semi-structured interviews, collecting nurses’ narratives, memorable cases and metaphors, aimed at summarising theessence of work as a nurse during the night. The experience of night nursing is based on four interconnected themes: (i) workingin a state of alert, (ii) growing by expanding autonomy and responsibility, (iii) assuring sensitive surveillance and (iv) experiencingdeep intimacy. Memorable episodes were polarised along (i) expected/unexpected events; (ii) positive/negativeepilogues; and (iii) life/death issues. Many of the emergent metaphors described working during the night as being in the middleof a space where an apparent calm scene takes place, but unpredictable factors may suddenly change the order of eventsand the outcomes, creating chaos. Working during the night alerts nurses, who increase autonomy, expanding their role andassuming more responsibility with respect to that assumed during daily shifts. The nurses’ clinical reasoning is based on datathey carefully listen to, and on the meaning that nurses give time by time to different noises and silence. While in the past asense of companionships was reported, a loneliness or a ‘neutral’ experience concerning the relationships with colleaguesseems to prevail during night nursing. Working night shifts is a complex task, and specific training must be assured to students/novices.
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
