A Description of Approachable Nurses: The Voice of the Hospitalized Child

Joint Event on 32^nd World Congress on Advanced Nursing Practice & 30^th International Conference on Pediatric Nursing & Healthcare

August 19-20, 2019 Zurich, Switzerland

Bethany Coia

Rhode Island College in Providence, USA

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Statement of Problem: The 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child drew international attention on the child and his or her right to be heard. Subsequently, numerous researchers enhanced the voice of the child in many settings, albeit few in a hospital setting. Nurse researchers investigating the experience of hospitalized children have identified positive and negative impacts of differing communication patterns. Potential characteristics of an approachable nurse were hinted at, although none explored the concept of approachability. In this study the voices of school age children were sought on their experiences with and perceptions of approachable pediatric nurses. Methodology: An exploratory, qualitative, descriptive research design, including semi-structured interviews with 7 school age children (6-12 years old), in a pediatric oncology service was used to gain childrenâ??s general perceptions and descriptions of nurses who they think and feel are approachable. The setting was an urban childrenâ??s hospital in Southern New England where school age children diagnosed with cancer were interviewed in an inpatient setting and the outpatient oncology clinic. Data were content analyzed. Findings: All of the children had experience with more than one approachable nurse, with descriptions including those who were funny, took time to listen and talk, were nice, smiled and were happy, made them feel welcome and told them what was going to happen before an intervention. The impact of the approachable nurse was identified as relieving anxiety and fear, along with making these children feel welcome and at home in the hospital, making return hospitalizations less worrisome.

Result: Future work should focus on defining, measuring the concept of approachability and its potential linkage with symbolic interaction theory. Nursing administrators may consider for orientation programs, peer review. Clinical practice may be advanced by increased attention to interactions between the nurse and child in the hospital setting.