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Rural Dialysis Nurses’ Experiences With Challenging Patients: A Thematic Qualitative Analysis, Alycia Jacob, Caroline Vafeas, Laurita Stoneman, Elisabeth Jacob

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: This study explored the experience of nurses encountering challenging patient behaviour while working at a rural hospital-based haemodialysis unit. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with haemodialysis nurses at a rural hospital. Five participants across two focus groups were asked questions regarding their experiences of challenging patients, including impacts that the experiences may have had on their ongoing professional practice. Transcripts of the focus groups were analysed thematically. Findings: Three themes arose from the focus group discussion – experiencing challenging behaviour, long-term relationships with patients, and nursing professionalism. Participants described challenges arising when caring for patients who were aggressive, did …