Janet Yvonne Mattsson

Uncovering pain in critically ill non-verbal children: Nurses’ clinical experiences in the paediatric intensive care unit

Critically ill paediatric patients are frequently exposed to pain that is required to be assessed and treated effectively. The most reliable resource for assessing pain is the child itself, but children in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are commonly unable to communicate their needs, requiring professional caregivers to uncover and interpret pain. However, nurses and paediatricians do not have sufficient knowledge of how critical illness affects childrens’ signs of pain. The aim of this study was to illuminate clinical experiences of pain in the PICU; describing nurses’ perceptions of expressions of pain in non-verbal, critically ill 2—6 year old children. The participants were 17 experienced PICU nurses. Data were analysed according to the phenomenographic method and three qualitatively different main categories, gained from clinical experience, emerged: changes in the measurable parameters; perceived muscular tension; and, altered behaviour. Furthermore, contrasting the categories revealed two diverse perspectives to focus pain: measure-oriented and patient-oriented. Subtle expressions of pain were recognised when focus was patient-oriented. These findings support the necessity of actively looking for pain deriving from various perspectives and considering diverse caring needs when doing so. Acknowledging pain makes pain visible.

Caring for children in pediatric intensive care units An observation study focusing on nurses’ concerns

Children in the pediatric intensive care unit are indisputably in a vulnerable position, dependent on nurses to acknowledge their needs. It is assumed that children should be approached from a holistic perspective in the caring situation to meet their caring needs. The aim of the study was to unfold the meaning of nursing care through nurses’ concerns when caring for children in the pediatric intensive care unit. To investigate the qualitative aspects of practice embedded in the caring situation, the interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted for the study. The findings revealed three patterns: medically oriented nursing—here, the nurses attend to just the medical needs, and nursing care is at its minimum, leaving the children’s needs unmet; parent-oriented nursing care—here, the nursing care emphasizes the parents’ needs in the situation, and the children are viewed as a part of the parent and not as an individual child with specific caring needs; and smooth operating nursing care orientation—here, the nursing care is focused on the child as a whole human being, adding value to the nursing care. The conclusion drawn suggests that nursing care does not always respond to the needs of the child, jeopardizing the well-being of the child and leaving them at risk for experiencing pain and suffering. The concerns present in nursing care has been shown to be the divider of the meaning of nursing care and need to become elucidated in order to improve the cultural influence of what can be seen as good nursing care within the pediatric intensive care unit.

Meaning of caring in pediatric intensive care unit from the perspective of parents A qualitative study

When children are critically ill, parents still strive to be present and participate in the care of their child. Pediatric intensive care differs from other realms of pediatric care as the nature of care is technically advanced and rather obstructing than encouraging parental involvement or closeness, either physically or emotionally, with the critically ill child. The aim of this study was to elucidate the meaning of caring in the pediatric intensive care unit from the perspective of parents. The design of this study followed Benner’s interpretive phenomenological method. Eleven parents of seven children participated in observations and interviews. The following aspects of caring were illustrated in the themes arising from the findings: being a bridge to the child on the edge, building a sheltered atmosphere, meeting the child’s needs, and adapting the environment for family life. The overall impression is that the phenomenon of caring is experienced exclusively when it is directed toward the exposed child. The conclusion drawn is that caring is present when providing expert physical care combined with fulfilling emotional needs and supporting continuing daily parental care for the child in an inviting environment.

The non-verbal communication in handover situations are the spice between the lines, to understand the severity of the patient’s condition

Aim : The aim of this study was to investigate emergency nurses’ experiences of verbal handover from emergency medical services and through these experiences uncover patient safety issues in the handover situation. Methods : Design: The design is qualitative inductive and aims to deepen the understanding of the handover situation and to uncover the nurses’ experiences in such a situation. Methods: A qualitative research process which takes its departure in patient safety theory. Nine informants were interviewed and a content analysis was applied. Results : The results show that a lack of structure, lack of seeing the non-verbal communication, the nurses’ own requirement for full control and the lack of active listening involves patient safety risks. Emergency nurses want a handover that is personal and provides a comprehensive picture of the patient to support, deepen or contradict the verbal handover given. Practical implications : The non-verbal communication in the handover situation is key to understand the severity of the situation and give the nurses profane knowledge how to prepare the continuing nursing care. To further support the understanding of the situation, information should be presented in chronological order.

Clinical Judgment of Pain in the Non-Verbal Child at the PICU- A Phenomenographic Study

Background: The thesis has a standpoint in a synthesis of caring science and educationscience from a clinical perspective. Children in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) are in an exposed position, dependent on nurses to acknowledge their needs. The alleviation of children’s pain has been investigated from various perspectives, but undertreated pain remains a problem in the PICU. There is a preponderance of empirical evidence pointing toward the role of nurses in uncovering children’s pain and suffering. How nurses interpret the child’s expressions and judge the clinical situation influences their actions in the clinical care. In a PICU, the basis for nurses’ concerns and interpretation of what is meaningful in the nursing care situation are formed by professional concern, workplace culture, traditions, habits, and workplace structures. This influences how parents interpret the meaning of care as well. Patricia Benner’s theory on clinical judgment forms a reference framework for this thesis. The assumption is that children need to be approached from a holistic perspective in the caring situation in order to acknowledge their caring needs. A nurse’s clinical education and insights allow for the possibility to enhance the quality of care for children and parents in the PICU.Aim: To uncover clinical concerns, from caring and learning perspectives, in caring for children in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) from nurses and parents perspective.Methods: Qualitative methods were used in all studies to unfold and explore the phenomena in the nurses’ and parents’ everyday clinical life world. In Papers I and II, a phenomenographic method was adopted. In Papers III and IV, an interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted.Findings: Nurses that have a holistic view of the child and approach the child from a multidimensional perspective, with a focus on the individual child and his/her caring needs, develop a clinical “connoisseurship” and meet the parents’ expectations of the meaning of care. The nurses express that it is only when they focus on the child that subtle signs of pain are revealed. The meaning of nursing care, in the ideal case, is a holistic care where all aspects are integrated and the child as a person has first priority.Conclusion: The meaning of caring and children’s needs must become elucidated to improve the cultural influence of what can be seen as good nursing care within the PICU.