A Heideggerian Hermeneutics Phenomenological Study On the Lived Experience of Nursing Care Rendered to Postpartum Women During Childbirth

Abstract

Study background: Studies have confirmed that the nurse during the period of delivery would be the deciding factor whether the woman would have a positive or negative birth experience. This experience depends on the quality of nursing care during childbirth. Hence it is important to know their lived experience of nursing care during childbirth. This is because patients’ satisfactory of services rendered is a yardstick for measuring quality of care. However, there is no literature on the lived experience of postpartum women regarding the nursing care rendered to them during childbirth in the context of Ghanaian health system. Accordingly, the objective of the study was to discover postpartum women lived experience of nursing care during childbirth. Methods: Using hermeneutic phenomenological method, this study was conducted on 10 women who had given birth for at least six months from the time of childbirth. A purposive sampling technique was used and data was collected through semi-structured interviews which lasted between 30 to 45 minutes. All participants were made to sign a consent form before participating. Data analysis was done using Diekermann, Allen and Tanner method. Results: Analysis of the interview transcripts depicting the women’s lived experience of nursing care rendered to them during childbirth and their encounter with the health facility and other entities revealed three main themes: 1. Being in the world of pregnant women in labor needing emotional, physical and informational support 2. Encounter with the health facility and practices and needing pampering and nice communication 3. Wishing for an environment of congenial and cordial relationship during childbirth. Conclusions and implications for practice: It is recommended that health professionals who nurse pregnant women during childbirth consider their lived experiences regarding nursing care they received during childbith. The theme of Being in the world of pregnant women in labor needing emotional, physical and informational support, Encounter with health facility, and practices and needing pampering and nice communication and Wishing for an environment of congenial and cordial relationship during childbirth should be taking into consideration when nursing them. This will lead to taking care of them according to their preferences, wishes, needs and values which will lead to their satisfaction and hence quality of care.