The emotional experience of nurses in the Home Hospitalization Unit in palliative care: A qualitative exploratory study

Paula Barrué; Martín Sánchez-Gómez

doi:10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.11.006

The emotional experience of nurses in the Home Hospitalization Unit in palliative care: A qualitative exploratory study

Enferm Clin (Engl Ed). 2021 Feb 3:S1130-8621(20)30555-6. doi: 10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.11.006. Online ahead of print.

[Article in English, Spanish]

Authors

Paula Barrué¹, Martín Sánchez-Gómez²

Affiliations

¹ Consorcio Hospitalario Provincial de Castellón, Castellón de la Plana, Castellón, España. Electronic address: paulabarrue@gmail.com.
² Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva, Educativa, Social y Metodología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, Castellón, España. Electronic address: sanchgom@uji.es.

PMID: 33549413
DOI: 10.1016/j.enfcli.2020.11.006

Abstract

Objective: To explore the emotions experienced by the nurses of a Home Hospitalization Unit as a result of their work role.

Method: A qualitative exploratory study was carried out with a phenomenology approach to explore people's experiences and inner-life experiences. The participants were 9nurses working in the home hospitalization unit. An analysis of qualitative content was undertaken. Units of meaning were grouped into 13 codes that, in turn, were classified into 4 categories, emotional dimension, beneficial and distressing aspects, daily working life and personal life.

Results: Nursing professionals working in palliative care suffer continuous exposure to traumatic situations, although they also report feeling satisfactory emotions that compensate for moments of distress. Having resources such as training in self-care and emotional regulation, as well as social support seems to be key to providing quality care and avoiding the onset of compassion fatigue.

Conclusions: Maintaining psychosocial well-being in the workplace is crucial for palliative care nurses to be able to undertake their work in the best possible way.

Keywords: Atención domiciliaria; Burnout; Compassion satisfaction; Cuidados paliativos; Enfermería; Fatiga por compasión; Home care services; Hospice and palliative care nursing; Job satisfaction; Nursing; Satisfacción laboral.