Entrepreneurship and nurse entrepreneurs lead the way to the development of nurses' role and professional identity in clinical practice: A qualitative study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the experiences and perspectives of nurses' transition into entrepreneurship in a clinical and cultural nursing setting and the impact of entrepreneurship on the nurses' role and professional identity. BACKGROUND: Entrepreneurship is a relatively unknown phenomenon in international nursing research, and the prevalence of entrepreneurial nurses is only 0.5-1% of all working nurses globally. Unfortunately, several barriers occur within the healthcare system and existing nursing culture that may affect the potential of bringing entrepreneurship into the nursing profession. DESIGN: The qualitative study used a phenomenological-hermeneutical approach based on an interpretative phenomenological analysis and COREQ-guided reporting. METHODS: Nine individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted face to face (n = 6) and by telephone (n = 3) with Danish nurse entrepreneurs between February and March 2019. RESULTS: The analysis revealed four themes: (a) prejudice towards entrepreneurship; (b) to become an entrepreneur in a nursing culture; (c) rebellion against the traditional role as employee and (d) challenged professional identity and new professional roles. CONCLUSION: Nurse entrepreneurs are caught between traditional and new ways of viewing nursing identity, norms, values and roles, and they face a conflict of professional values and a stereotyped view of 'real' nursing. Our findings show that entrepreneurship entails a huge learning process that develops nurses' ability to think outside the box in a broader health perspective and challenge the existing nursing culture and role. However, nurse entrepreneurs' ability to engage in entrepreneurship is compromised by professional values, the duty to behave as a good nurse and their own prejudices towards entrepreneurs. IMPACT: Entrepreneurship and nurse entrepreneurs pose a huge potential development of the nursing role and identity, as they challenge the current view on the nursing profession. This development is important for patients and health professionals, as future health challenges call for new ways of thinking and acting.

Preparing solo mothers for childbirth and parenthood - The importance of being with like-minded women.

OBJECTIVES: Denmark and many high-income countries have seen an increase in the number of single women getting pregnant through medical assisted reproduction (MAR). These women are also named solo mothers. According to the Danish Health Authorities, they should, as all other pregnant women, be offered antenatal education. The aim of this study was to explore solo mothers' needs in order to prepare them for childbirth and parenthood. METHODS: This qualitative study was set to investigate solo mothers' experiences and requirements during pregnancy toprepare them for childbirth and parenting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone or face-to-face. A systematic text condensation and interpretation was used to analyse data. RESULTS: 38 interviews were conducted before and after pregnancy. Twenty solo mothers participated in the study. Three themes emerged from the analysis: 'Confrontation with the normative pregnancy', 'Mirroring and network' and 'Using formal and informal sources to gain information'. CONCLUSION: The conventional antenatal packages offered by the healthcare system did not meet the solo mothers' needs. The women called for content and information tailored to single parents. Solo mothers may benefit from structured antenatal classes in small groups. Being with like-minded women was essential for preparing for childbirth and parenting.

Getting the body back on track - Understanding the phenomenon of mobilisation when conscious and mechanically ventilated patients are mobilised in the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: To gain an in-depth understanding of the phenomenon of mobilisation when conscious and mechanically ventilated patients are mobilised in the intensive care unit. DESIGN: A qualitative study with a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Data were generated in three intensive care units from September 2019 to March 2020. Participant observations of twelve conscious mechanically ventilated patients, thirty-five nurses and four physiotherapists were performed. Furthermore, seven semi-structured patient interviews were conducted, both on the ward and after discharge. FINDINGS: Mobilisation during mechanical ventilation in the intensive care unit followed a trajectory from a failing body to a growing sense of independence in getting the body back on track. Three themes were revealed: 'Challenging to move a failing body', 'Ambiguity of both resistance and willingness in the process of strengthen the body', and 'An ongoing effort in getting the body back on track'. CONCLUSIONS: Mobilisation when conscious and mechanically ventilated included support of the living body by physical prompts and ongoing bodily guidance. Resistance and willingness regarding mobilisation were found to be a way of coping with bodily reactions of comfort or discomfort, embedded in a need to feel bodily control. The trajectory of mobilisation promoted a sense of agency, as mobilisation activities at different stages during the intensive care unit stay supported the patients in becoming more active collaborators in getting the body back on track. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Ongoing bodily guidance provided by healthcare professionals can promote bodily control and support conscious and mechanically ventilated patients in active participation in mobilisation. Furthermore, understanding the ambiguity of patients' reactions caused by loss of bodily control provides a potential to prepare mechanically ventilated patients for and assist them with mobilisation. In particular, the first mobilisation in the intensive care unit seems to influence the success of future mobilisation, as the body remembers negative experiences.

The creation of a solo-mother family - a qualitative study.

The aim of this study was to explore women's experiences of and perspectives on the process of creating a solo-mother family through assisted reproductive technology. This study was designed as an explorative, qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted face to face or by telephone to explore women's experiences of and perspectives on creating a solo-mother family. We used systematic text condensation to analyse the data. Twenty solo mothers participated in the study and 38 interviews were conducted during and after pregnancy. Four themes related to the experiences of building a solo-mother family emerged from the data analysis: (1) Dealing with reactions on the choice to become pregnant by Medically Assisted Reproduction (MAR) and a solo mother, (2) Marketisation of motherhood, (3) Longing to be a 'normal' pregnant woman, (4) Grandparents as co-parents and leaning on siblings and friends. The women went through a process redefining themselves, because they considered the nuclear family as the ideal. They realised on a profound level that they were 'on their own'. Generally, the woman's biological family played a vital role, supporting her emotionally and in practical ways. The creation of a solo-mother family was often seen to take place with grandparents as co-parents. The women leaned to a less extent on close friends.

Assessment of a support garment in parastomal bulging from a patient perspective: a qualitative study.

AIM: To investigate patients' experiences of the assessment of support garments in relation to a parastomal bulge. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews preceded by field observations. The 11 in-dept interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: In the assessment process patients lacked information from professionals on the advantages, disadvantages as well as criteria for choosing between garments.Garments had to fit patients' needs and personal preferences; being comfortable, flexible and user-friendly. The garment created new possibilities and challenges; well-assessed garments reduced symptoms while poorly assessed worsened or induced symptoms and ended up unworn. When comorbidities were not accounted for, garments were unmanageable to patients. Patients needed guidance on how to apply and use the garment. Lack of hands-on-guidance left patients confused and helpless with unworn garments. Re-assessment of a garment before it could be worn was time consuming, stressful and required patients' physical and mental resources. CONCLUSION: Exploring patients' expectations, symptoms, needs and comorbidity was vital for patients' subsequent use and benefit of garments. Tailor-made information, hands-on-guidance and professional assistance are important in the assessment process. Interventions to support a patient centred, individual and systematic approach is warranted.