Search

Flanagan's critical incident technique was used to explore the beliefs of a cross-section of careers (both nursing and others) and consumers about the value of nursing and the nature of nursing's contribution in aged and extended care. The exploratory study found that nurses' being there, with and for residents, their families, and other health professionals, was influenced by two major themes that emerged from the data: personal and structural considerations. In this article, the potential of critical incident technique as a research method in nursing and for generating information about critical aspects of nursing work in aged and extended care is demonstrated., The literature clearly indicates that nursing has a commitment to developing and defining nurse competencies and clinical indicators of patient status for use by the profession. Internationally, development of clinical [...]

Background. Exclusive breastfeeding provides complete nutrition for a baby's first six months of life. However, the majority of Australian infants are not exclusively breastfed for this length of time. Although numerous strategies have been implemented to increase rates of exclusive breastfeeding, Australian statistics remain low. Furthermore, most breastfeeding research has focused on why women cease breastfeeding in the early postnatal period (from birth to two months), yet limited research focuses on the experience of exclusive breastfeeding between two and six months, where the greatest decline occurs. Aim. To provide an in-depth, idiographic interpretation of the experiences of first-time Australian mothers who intended to exclusively breastfeed for six months, but ceased between two and six months. Methods. The study utilised interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to understand how five new mothers understood their breastfeeding journeys. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Data were transcribed in full and analysed using IPA's flexible seven-step approach. This research was approved by the women's and children's health network human research ethics committee (HREC) (HREC/MWCHN/008) and the University of South Australia HREC (0000031997) in early 2014. Findings. Three higher-order themes were identified: 1) the exclusive breastfeeding journey, 2) the challenge of breastfeeding exclusively, 3) breastfeeding in the 21st century. The mothers intended to exclusively breastfeed for six months. While they overcame many physical difficulties associated with breastfeeding, it was ultimately social complexities that provided the greatest challenges and influenced their decisions to cease exclusive breastfeeding. These included the introduction of solid foods before the recommended time of six months, and the perceived disapproval of breastfeeding in public. Noticing many differences in opinions and recommendations regarding breastfeeding, the mothers began to desire autonomy in their mothering, describing public comments and opinions as unwanted and judgemental. Conclusion. This qualitative reflection contributes a nuanced understanding of the breastfeeding journey between two and six months, deepening our understanding and enabling the development of appropriate strategies and support for increasing the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, as well as direction for continued research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]