1. Experience of primary care nurses applying nurse‐led management of patients with acute minor illnesses.
- Author
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Vara‐Ortiz, María Ángeles, Marcos‐Alonso, Susana, and Fabrellas‐Padrés, Núria
- Subjects
EDUCATION of nurse practitioners ,ACUTE diseases ,QUALITATIVE research ,FOCUS groups ,RESEARCH funding ,INTERVIEWING ,CONTENT analysis ,STATISTICAL sampling ,PRIMARY nursing ,NURSE practitioners ,NURSING services administration ,THEMATIC analysis ,RESEARCH methodology ,PHENOMENOLOGY - Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the experience of primary health care nurses regarding the application of nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses. Background: Nursing leadership of care for acute minor illnesses is a new challenge faced by nurses in Spain. Design: Qualitative, hermeneutical, interpretive phenomenological approach is used. The Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research guidelines were applied. Methods: Twenty primary care nurses participated; three focus group discussions and nine semi‐structured interviews were conducted between November 2019 and October 2020. All the focus group discussions and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Results: Seven main themes emerged from the focus group discussions and interviews: concept, perception of the other actors, practice, history and social context, competencies, training, and legality. Conclusion: The study shows the diversity and complexity of nurses' experience when applying nurse‐led management in acute minor illnesses. This work has helped to show the gaps perceived by nurses, including the lack of training in the treatment of conditions historically attended by physicians, the lack of definition of the legal framework and the limitations on nurse prescribing. It also highlighted the power of the nursing profession in terms of autonomy, competencies and role expansion. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Nurse‐led management of acute minor illnesses is being applied in multiple countries.Nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses is known to have benefits for both the patient and the system.Nurses' perceptions of applying nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses are not known but such knowledge would allow the detection of drivers and barriers for this model of care.What this paper adds? The concept of nurse‐led management in patients with acute minor illnesses needs to be clarified to avoid confusion with triage.The topic was perceived as not properly covered in university studies and attended by a lack of ongoing training.Nurses express self‐doubt in their prescribing because they have been able to do so autonomously for only a short time.The implications of this paper: Nurses consider themselves competent to apply nurse‐led management of acute minor illnesses but need more training and knowledge of the legal framework.University curricula need reform and adaptation to the training needs of these new roles. In addition, continuing education will be required.National regulation is needed to enable this practice without dependence on other professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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