2023 Volume 43 Pages 593-601
Objective: To determine changes in nurses’ attitudes toward, and care of, children with congenital hearing loss (hereafter referred to as “children”) and their mothers.
Methods: Action research was applied to conduct the study. Study participants included 10 nurses. Data were analyzed qualitatively and descriptively through participant observation, semi-constructive interviews, and nurses’ narratives at meetings.
Results: The changes in the nurses’ attitudes were as follows: regarding the children, the nurses said, “I cannot approach but want to approach” and “I want to try sign language, which I could not do,” and for the mothers, they said, “I want to talk to them although it is difficult to talk to them” and “I want to know their thoughts although it is difficult to hear their thoughts.” The changes in care were “to show and touch the child instead of using spoken words” and “to listen using sign language although I could not ask about the pain” for the children, and “to talk to the child although I could not talk to him” and “to listen to his thoughts although it was difficult for me to ask” for the mothers.
Conclusions: By talking to the children and their mothers, the nurses were able to reflect and change their perceptions. In addition, it was suggested that talking with each other made them flexible in their thinking and devise new methods of care.
