Högskolan i Skövde

Background: The approach to nursing should be characterized by a holistic view of the human being which includes sexual health. From a nursing perspective, it is therefore of most importance to have a dialogue about factors associated with sexual health also among hospitalized patients. However, to our knowledge there is a lack of qualitative studies regarding nurses attitudes about dialogue with patients about sexual health.

Objective: To investigate nurses attitudes towards dialogue with hospitalized patients about sexual health.

Methods: A qualitative method was used and interviews were conducted which then were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. Eleven registered nurses were included, the inclusion criteria was: at least one year of experience as a nurse and working on a medical or surgical ward in a hospital in the southwest of Sweden. The participants were in the ages 25-65 and had worked as nurses between 2 and 30 years. Nine of the participants were women. The data were collected during 2011.

Results: The nurses experiences of and reflections on dialogue with patients about sexual health were presented as a single main theme: Nurses challenges to support hospitalized patients with sexual health issues. This theme had three categories: Feeling uncomfortable, Feeling inadequate and Task-oriented care with related subcategories respectively.

Conclusions: Nurses attitudes towards their dialogues about sexual health with hospitalized patients were less challenging if they were initiated by the patients or if the patients were men with medical causes related to sexual health. Lack of knowledge and support from colleagues became reasons why nurses felt inadequate about discussing sexual health with their patients.

Objectives. The objective of this study was to describe first-time mothers’ experiences and reflections of their first birth. Study Design. This study is a part of a larger study which was carried out in southwestern Sweden in 2008. A qualitative method with content analysis was chosen for this study. The unit of data was 14 written narratives from the first-time mothers. Results. The theme “To be empowered increases first-time mothers’ chances for a positive birth experience” crossed over into all the three categories: “To trust the body and to face the pain,” “Interaction between body and mind in giving birth,” and “Consistency of support.” Conclusion. In order to feel confident in their first childbirth, the women wanted to be confirmed and seen as unique individuals by the professionals and their partner. If professionals responded to the individual woman’s needs of support, the woman more often had a positive birth experience, even if the birth was protracted or with medical complications.

Background: Further research is needed about the women’s experience of support during labor in order for health professionals to respond to a woman’s unique needs.

Aim: To explore first time mothers experience of giving birth as well as professional and social support during labor.

Method: This study was carried out in southwestern Sweden in 2008. A qualitative method with content analysis was chosen for the study. The unit of data is from 14 women’s written narratives.

Results: Results show that the women’s experiences of being involved in decisions and the relationship to professional and social support during their first labor can be conceptualized as one main theme: "Most important for first time mothers’ during labor is to be respected for their needs, to feel involved in the care, and support from their partner". This theme contained three categories: "To be respected for their needs", "To be involved in the care" and "Support from the partner". A safe and calm environment positively influenced the women’s sense of support, and the ability to have her partner physically present positively influenced the sense of support.

Conclusion: When healthcare professionals responded to a woman’s unique needs during labor, the woman felt that the support was based on her as an individual and possibility to being involved in decisions; otherwise a feeling of uncertainty emerged. If the woman’s partner was able to offer support, then it was essential that he was physically present in the room throughout the birth.