Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
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Psychiatric Nurses’ Perceptions of the Factors Influencing
Nurse-Patient Interaction within an Acute Mental Health
Setting.
Full Name: Jenny Fahey
Address: Nurse Practice Development Unit
HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster
2 nd Floor, Block E
Westland Park
Nangor Road
Dublin 12
Qualifications: RPN, Dip, BSc. MSc. Nursing.
Contact No. 01-4609695
Email: jenny.fahey@hse.ie
A large part of in-patient psychiatric care remains based on the
therapeutic interaction that takes place between the nurse and the
patient (Shields, Morrison and Hart, 1988). The development of the
nurse-patient therapeutic relationship is a prominent feature here
(Repper, 2000). Peplau (1988) described this relationship as an
interactive process and considered it to be the hallmark of
psychiatric nursing. However, the development of this relationship
largely depends on the nurse setting time aside to spend with
patients on a one to one and individual basis. The literature
suggests that psychiatric nurses spend a relatively small amount of
time in potentially therapeutic nurse-patient interactions (Ryrie et
al, 1998). Several studies highlight numerous factors, which limit
the availability of time to spend with patients on an individual basis
(Krikorian and Paulanka, 1982; Cleary and Edwards, 1999).
The aim of this study was to explore psychiatric nurses’ perceptions
of the factors influencing nurse-patient interaction within an acute
mental health setting. Conducted in a rural psychiatric hospital in
Ireland, a qualitative descriptive research design was used to allow
the perceptions of seven participants to be recorded in their own
words (Sandelowski, 2000). Face-to-face semi-structured interviews
containing a set of predetermined questions based on the analysis
of the literature review were used. Data analysis was undertaken
using Burnards’ (1991) method of thematic content analysis. Lincoln
and Guba’s (1985) framework for establishing rigour was also
incorporated. Factors influencing nurse-patient interactions were
determined by the health care system, the profile of patients on the
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