Challenges and factors likely to promote coping as anticipated by nurses preparing for a merger of intensive and intermediate care units

17^th World Congress on Clinical Nursing & Practice

August 29-30, 2018 | Zurich, Switzerland

Mari Salminen-Tuomaala

Seinajoki University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Adv Practice Nurs

Abstract :

Organizational changes bring on challenges and increase hospital staffâ??s need for support. This study introduces a central hospital in Finland, which has sought to prepare for change by applying an anticipatory model and by arranging collaborative workshops for staff. In 2018, the hospital will open a new intensive and intermediate care unit, created with help of evidence-based design. The new unit will combine three existing units, currently responsible for cardiac observation and evaluation, intensive care. The purpose of the study was to describe nursing staffâ??s anticipated experiences of working in the new unit. The research questions were: What kind of challenges do members of the nursing staff anticipate when preparing for the introduction of the new unit? Which factors do nurses see as likely to promote their coping in the early stages of running the new unit? The target group consisted of nursing staff members in the current cardiac observation and evaluation, intensive care and surgical observation units. The method of empathy-based stories was used to acquire data because it allows participants to anticipate and reflect on future events. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis. Respondents anticipated a great number of challenges in the transition to the new unit. The challenges were related to personal factors that affect coping at work, to co-operation among nursing staff and to the new work context. Respondents foresaw a need for support from colleaguesâ?? in future clinical nursing situations. They believed that both informational, concrete and social support would be required.

Biography :

Mari Salminen-Tuomaala has completed her PhD in Health Sciences and is a Senior Lecturer at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences, School of Health Care and Social Work. She is Project Manager in simulation based education research and development project. She has worked over 20 years as Registered Nurse at medical departments, cardiac care unit and emergency department before teaching career. Her main research and expertise areas concern acute care (intensive care, out-ofhospital emergency care, care and counseling at the emergency department), simulation based education, psychosocial coping of myocardial infarction patients and their spouses, families as clients in health care and families in challenging life situations. She has about 40 conference presentations and over 50 scientific publications.