Experiences of Novice Public Health Nurses in Developing Emotional Attachments to Local Communities

Abstract

Objective: To examine novice public health nurses’ experiences developing emotional attachments to their local communities.

Methods: Data from semi-structured interviews with 12 novice public health nurses in municipalities were analyzed qualitatively and inductively.

Results: Eight categories were extracted describing the experiences of novice public health nurses that led to the emotional attachment to local communities. These categories included “I go to the community daily,” “I understand the community,” “I worked with people who think about the community,” “I feel a connection with the local residents,” “I imagine the ideal goal of community,” “I take charge of the community and deploy PDCA,” “I feel that I can contribute to the community’s health promotion,” and “I have time to think about the community.”

Discussion: The eight categories of novice public health nurses formed and strengthened their emotional attachment to the community. The findings of this study suggest that a support system is necessary to reduce the anxiety of novice public health nurses engaging in these experiences.