Senior nurses as patients: Narratives of special and meagre care
Jan Duke
Social Workers' Registration Board; Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
Margaret Connor
Graduate School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
PP: 32 - 43
Abstract
Like the general population, nurses become patients within the health care services available to them. They write anecdotal accounts of their experience and research the experience of their colleagues.
This paper reports a small descriptive study of how the positions of senior nurses who experienced a life threatening condition influenced their illness trajectories. Eleven nurses in both New Zealand and Australia told stories of their experiences which focussed on intercessions/intervention by themselves, their family and the health care team.
Themes identified were: looking after our own, the gaze of family and friends in advocacy and intercession, stereotypes of nurses as patients, senior nurses as vulnerable patients - existential healing through the small things, and senior nurses as knowledgeable people. Within these themes were narratives of special and meagre care.
The authors conclude that all senior nurses should receive care that is regardful of who they are as senior nurses and vulnerable patients.
Keywords
nurses as patients, senior nurses, nursing, meagre care, special care, life threatening conditions
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