Journal of Research in Nursing最新文献

Background: Social connection is fundamental to healthy ageing reducing the serious health impacts of loneliness and social isolation. General practice nurses (GPNs) have skills in assessing and responding to older people's complex needs, applicable to nurse-led interventions strengthening older people's social connections.

Aim: To explore factors influencing the implementation of a GPN-led social prescribing intervention to improve social connectedness among older people.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted through semi-structured interviews (n = 13) and two focus groups with eight Australian GPNs exploring intervention implementation. The intervention comprised assessment, goal setting, co-production of personalised plans, referral, and follow-up. Data were inductively analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results: Themes revealed individual, organisational, and system-level factors that influenced implementation. Barriers included the attitudes and priorities of older people, the disruptive environmental context arising from natural disasters, and system factors including primary care funding and community infrastructure. Family support, positive general practice workplace cultures, and intervention adaptability were enabling factors.

Conclusions: GPNs were able to integrate the intervention into their usual workflow and appropriately respond to lonely and socially isolated older people. However, GPN-led interventions are currently limited by funding models. Building nursing workforce capacity can support integrated health and social care for older people.

Background: Legacy mentors are experienced nurses, usually in their late career. There is little evidence exploring the impact of legacy mentors in practice.

Aim: To understand the impact of the legacy mentor role on the legacy mentors themselves, their mentees and the mentees' managers; and to provide recommendations to support future investment and development.

Methods: The evaluation was conducted in accordance with the first stages 'Design and Discover' of the qualitative design 'Appreciative Inquiry'. Six mentees, two managers, and four legacy mentors took part in three focus groups. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.

Results: Three themes emerged from the data: characteristics and qualities, challenges associated with the role, and outcomes of the role.

Conclusion: The legacy mentors' interpersonal skills and experience enabled them to overcome barriers associated with implementing the role. Key attributes such as communication and listening skills, respect and empathy allowed the mentees to accept and welcome guidance. Other requirements for success included flexibility, clear and consistent communication about the role, and mutually agreed expectations about the outcomes, process and commitment required from managers, mentees, and mentors. More research is required to establish how this initiative could be reflected in future nursing policy and implemented more widely.

Background: The use of metaphor in qualitative research higher degrees can be a creative and effective outlet. Not only can metaphor make connections across concepts, but it can help to create a coherent theme within a wider body of research.

Aim: This paper provides a 'how to' of sorts, providing a pragmatic guide for the use of metaphor in research work, particularly in research higher degrees.

Methods: Drawing from contemporary metaphor theories, the paper articulates eight steps to assist users in the contemplation and application of metaphor in research.

Results: This paper provides not only a thought-provoking process for candidates and researchers to apply metaphor but also offers a pedagogical tool for supervision teams and research institutions to support learning in qualitative research methods, bolstering critical thinking, communication translation, and academic writing.

Background: The school nurse is tasked with promoting health for children. However, the school nurse's role in meeting the needs of children experiencing grief following the death of a family member remains unexplored.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of school nurses in supporting children in grief following the death of a family member.

Methods: The study was conducted as a cross-sectional study employing qualitative and quantitative approaches through a web-based questionnaire (n = 62 school nurses).

Results: A majority (90%) of the school nurses felt secure in their professional role, most of them (93%) had experience of meeting children with grief. Qualitative findings revealed an overarching theme Creating security for the child including two themes: Security for the school nurse which included two subthemes- Feeling secure in the meeting and Feeling security in the team; and Security for the child which included two subthemes - Creating a secure environment for the child and Being there for the child.

Conclusion: Our findings indicate that school nurses can play an important role for the child in creating a secure place for the grieving child in school. Further research should focus on school nurses' more specific needs for preparational training and support.