Experience of primary care nurses applying nurse-led management of patients with acute minor illnesses.

Abstract

The aim of this study is to determine the experience of primary health care nurses regarding the application of nurse-led management in patients with acute minor illnesses. Nursing leadership of care for acute minor illnesses is a new challenge faced by nurses in Spain. Qualitative, hermeneutical, interpretive phenomenological approach is used. The Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research guidelines were applied. Twenty primary care nurses participated; three focus group discussions and nine semi-structured interviews were conducted between November 2019 and October 2020. All the focus group discussions and interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Seven main themes emerged from the focus group discussions and interviews: concept, perception of the other actors, practice, history and social context, competencies, training, and legality. The study shows the diversity and complexity of nurses' experience when applying nurse-led management in acute minor illnesses. This work has helped to show the gaps perceived by nurses, including the lack of training in the treatment of conditions historically attended by physicians, the lack of definition of the legal framework and the limitations on nurse prescribing. It also highlighted the power of the nursing profession in terms of autonomy, competencies and role expansion.