Nurse competence in the post-anaesthesia care unit in Sweden: a qualitative study of the nurse’s perspective

BMC Nursing

Ulrica Nilsson¹  Maria Jaensson²  Karuna Dahlberg²  Ann-Sofie Sundqvist³ 

[1] Division of Nursing, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet, and Perioperative Medicine and Intensive care, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden;School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, 701 82, Örebro, Sweden;University Health Care Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden;Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden;

关键词: Competence;    Education;    Nursing;    Post-anaesthesia care unit;    Postoperative period;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12912-021-00792-z

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundTo enable safe and successful recovery for surgery patients, nurses working in post-anaesthesia care units need competence in postoperative care. No consensus defines what this specific competence includes, and it has not been studied from the perspective of nurses working in post-anaesthesia care units. The aim of this study is twofold: 1) To explore and describe nurses’ perception of the competence needed to work in post-anaesthesia care units. 2) To explore and describe nurses’ perception of what characterizes an expert nurse in post-anaesthesia care units.MethodsThis qualitative inductive study uses individual interviews. Sixteen nurses were recruited from two post-anaesthesia care units located in different parts of Sweden. Inclusion criteria were nurses employed in the post-anaesthesia care units for ≥1 years.Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted; data were analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsThe interview analysis identified six subthemes and three themes. The themes being adaptable in an ever-changing environment and creating safe care represent the overarching meaning of competence required when working as a nurse in a Swedish post-anaesthesia care unit. Nurses must possess various technical and nontechnical skills, which are core competences that are described in the sub-themes. The theme seeing the bigger picture describes the nurse’s perception of an expert nurse in the post-anaesthesia care unit.ConclusionsNurse competence in post-anaesthesia care units entails specific knowledge, acknowledging the patient, and working proactively at a fast pace with the patient and team to provide safe, high-quality care. An expert nurse in post-anaesthesia care units can see the bigger picture, helping share knowledge and develop post-anaesthesia care. The expert competence to see a bigger picture can be used in supervising novices and creating a knowledge base for postgraduate education in order to promote safe, high-quality post-anaesthesia care.

【 授权许可】

CC BY