Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the emotional experiences of nurses caring for patients with serious spinal cord injury.
Method: Participants were six nurses caring for patients, most of whom had serious spinal cord injury. Data were collected by semi-structured interview and analyzed by using qualitative inductive methods.
Results and Conclusion: Nurses caring for patients with spinal cord injury experienced negative emotions of “aggression,” “detachment,” and “exhaustion.” Although nurses suffered waves of these negative emotions, they kept their emotions in balance and performed their nursing duties by using coping behaviors, including “adjustment of physical distance” and “adjustment of mental distance.” They felt “sympathy” toward patients and experienced a “sense of fulfillment” in learning from patients and feeling their own personal growth.
The gap between nurses' expectations of the patients' ability to achieve independent living and the patients' situations influenced the nurses' negative emotions. Nurses mainly tended to use emotion-focused coping to deal with the consequences of spinal cord injury. It is important that nursing staff not only share their experiences, but also think about the meaning of the emotions that they experience and attempt to make the best use of their nursing practice.
