Nordic Journal of Nursing Research

This research examined the relationship between nursing managers’ power and nursing group power in public health service organizations.

A cross-sectional survey of first-line nurse managers (n = 264) from 11 Finnish hospitals was conducted. The power of nurse managers and nursing groups was examined through two reliable instruments: the Nursing Managers’ Power instrument and the Sieloff-King Assessment of Group Power within Organizations instrument©.

The power of nurse managers was perceived to be moderate on a 5-point Likert scale. Managers reported that they gained the most power from their role and position as a nursing manager, and lastly, from their resources. The power of nurse managers correlated no more than moderately with nursing group power.

Organizations need to ensure that nursing managers have the power and opportunity to influence nursing goals and outcomes.

To describe mothers’ perceptions of what characterized mothers’ groups that continued over many years and to explore how the mothers benefitted from participating.

Scarce knowledge about mothers’ groups in a long term perspective.

A qualitative research design was applied. Data were obtained by focus group discussions in three mothers’ groups that had lasted for 13, 16 and 21 years, respectively. Data was analysed using a phenomenographic approach.

The analysis revealed three descriptive categories and nine sub-categories. The categories were: Structure and contents over the years; Diverse backgrounds and views, with respect; and Revitalization, continuation and outcome of the groups. The underlying structure was found to be that the mothers’ groups had developed from baby-oriented to life-oriented forums and constituted a free space built upon confidentiality and trust, and with respect for differences.

The study concludes that mothers’ groups may result in social support and new coping strategies. Health professionals should encourage established groups to continue on their own. More research on the drop-outs from the groups is needed.

Many professional educations have element of practice in their educations. Any assessment scheme involves large uncertainties, and this will in particular be applicable in practice assessment. Studies show that students who do not meet the goals of a practice period pass anyway.

The purpose of the literature study is to describe what may lie at the core of those supervisors who allow underperforming students to pass in practice.

A systematic literature search was carried out in March 2013 in the CHINAL, OVID Nursing database, OVID Medline, OVID PsycInfo, ProQuest, Science Direct, Eric, Norart and SweMed+.

Nine articles and a monograph were included in the study. The reasons for not failing an incompetent student stems from lack of knowledge and confidence, challenges related to documentation, personal attitudes and beliefs, lack of support, the scarcity of time and the fear that the decision would be overturned by the university and the appeal.

The study shows that the supervisors have lack of competence in the role of their supervisor, both on the knowledge, skills and personal competence. To ensure that underperforming students fail, the need for training and support to the supervisors is essential.

To discuss the potentials and barriers of establishing a course in facilitating journal clubs among non-medical health professionals (NMHP).

NMHPs and managers had a wish to offer journal clubs. To accomplish this, there was a need of enhancing competences among NMHPs with developmental responsibility, both by education and practice in order to establish journal club in their own department.

A journal club facilitation course was offered to hospital employed NMHPs. Participants were asked to fill out questionnaires prior to, at midterm, 4 months, and 18 months after, course participation. At the 18-month follow-up, their managers were asked to fill out questionnaires. Results are discussed in an analytic framework inspired from research on conducting journal clubs and learning transfer.

After 18 months, only three journal clubs were established. Participants and managers mentioned barriers such as time, resources and interest from colleagues. Participants also disputed the management approval. Among the three established journal clubs, the participants stated good management approval, but also a challenge in establishing, preparing and conducting journal clubs.

Facilitation journal club courses have the potential to increase knowledge and skills. To secure implementation, further transfer strategies need to be considered as part of the course.

To learn about Iranian women’s experience with chronic pain and Norwegian nurses’ nursing care.

Chronic pain is aggravated by social, economic and political strain causing serious accompanying psychological symptoms. Iran women’s position is characterized by social and political discrimination and inequity. Women are expected to be homemakers and obey their male family members.

Semi-structured in-depth interviews with five female Iranian refugees aged 39–55 years who had lived 10 or more years in Norway. Hermeneutic analysis. Informed consent was given by all respondents.

Culturally-based duties and expectation aggravate their pain, anxiety, depression and insomnia. This may result in aggressiveness, bitterness, concentration problems, fatigue, heartaches, and a feeling of inadequacy. They are lonely and miss homeland, family and friends. Their losses make the pain worse.

Norwegian nurses are seen as unbelieving regarding their pain, which make them take pain medication brought from home rather than ask for analgesics.

Traditional roles and expectations, limited social network, and longing for homeland, friends, and family aggravate these women’s chronic pain and make them vulnerable.

Smoking is a public health problem. Supporting patients to achieve lifestyle changes, such as smoking cessation, is one way for the district nurse to promote health.

To investigate how the district nurse promotes health and supports patients in smoking cessation.

A questionnaire was sent to 124 district nurses working with smoking cessation in a region in western Sweden. The questionnaire contained both closed and open questions. The responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and manifest content analysis.

The district nurses’ work includes motivating, educating, supporting, informing and following up patients in need of smoking cessation. In total, 63% of the district nurses consider themselves to have an important function in smoking cessation. Lack of time is a substantial problem and district nurses devote 1–10 hours per week on smoking cessation. Of the 124 nurses, 43% felt that they did not have enough knowledge about smoking cessation. The district nurses wished to benefit from the experience of other colleagues.

District nurses experience lack of time and knowledge. In order to provide quality support for smoking cessation, district nurses should possess medical knowledge and be empathic and involved.

The aim of this study was to investigate if nurses change a child’s peripheral intravenous catheter when clinically indicated.

Today, inserting a peripheral intravenous catheter is a common procedure in hospital care, but this can be painful and traumatic for children. There are guidelines when to change the peripheral catheter in adults, but no similar guidelines was found concerning children. A Cochrane review from 2010 concludes that the policy should be to change the peripheral intravenous catheter when clinically indicated. This includes phlebitis, but also pain, redness, infiltration, swelling, leakage and blockage.

The design was prospective and observational. Daily observations were made at the hospital by one of the researchers and notes were made in a protocol.

Thirty-three children with a total of 47 peripheral intravenous catheters participated, and 104 observations were made. Of the children, 42% (14/33) developed complications. Among the children with phlebitis grade 2 and 3, the nurses did not change the peripherala intravenous catheter when clinically indicated.

This study shows that phlebitis occurs in children with a peripheral intravenous catheter and the PIC were not changed when clinically indicated. It is the professional’s responsibility to reduce the painful experiences for children during hospital care, and more research concerning nurses’ clinical decisions needs to be conducted.

To bring knowledge about how relatives can serve as a resource and cooperate with nursing home staff in giving care to patients with dementia and behavioural symptoms.

Studies suggests that family members want to retain the role of caregivers also after institutionalization of a family member with dementia. We have little knowledge about how family caregivers and nursing home staff develop a collaborative relationship.

The study has a descriptive and explorative design. Data were collected via 11 semi-structured, audiotaped interviews with family members. The analysis is based on Kvale and Brinkman’s three levels of interpretation.

Relatives were to a little degree included as a resource for nursing home staff, and they missed a continuous dialog with health personnel in charge of the care. The transition from the role of being an active, responsible caregiver to someone that was not involved and familiar with the daily needs of their family member was perceived as difficult.

Relatives may be an important resource in the planning of long-term care for their family members. Conscious inclusion and collaboration with relatives can help them remain in their role as caregivers and prevent them from feeling disclosed.