Self‐realisation—What does this mean for school nurses to remain in nursing practice?

Abstract

Aims and objectives To describe and interpret what it means for school nurses to realise themselves so that they remain in nursing practice. Background Self‐realisation seems to influence on nurses remaining in nursing practice. School nurses report aspects (i.e. autonomy and professional development) which can be linked to self‐realisation as important for themselves, but few studies describe what it means for school nurses to realise themselves so that they remain in practice. Design and method This study used a qualitative design, conducting two individual in‐depth interviews with 15 school nurses. The interviews were analysed with a phenomenological hermeneutic method. The COREQ checklist has been used in reporting this study. Results The following themes were emerged: (a) being attentive to yourself, (b) acting true to yourself and (c) making independent choices. Conclusion This study offers insight into what it means for school nurses to realise themselves so that they remain in nursing practice, that is to practise their originality and take a stand for what they consider important. Self‐realisation was embedded within nursing practice and consequently seems to impact on nurses remaining in practice. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses who practise their originality and take a stand for what they identify as important realise self. This implies being themselves and practising nursing in a way they find relevant. Nursing leaders who encourage nurses to articulate what this entails facilitate their self‐realisation. A clinical practice where nurses can be attentive and act true to themselves, and have opportunities to make independent choices, will be a practice where nurses can realise self. We suggest that clinical practice which emphasises opportunities for nurses' self‐realisation may facilitate their remaining in practice.

What school nurses receive for themselves that influences their remaining in practice: A qualitative study

“…Muchness is related to nurses’ experience of “well-being”, which arises when the nurses provide nursing practice “in accordance with an individual’s values and beliefs” (16, p. 2). The current study is thus in line with previous research, which demonstrates that nurses remain in practice due to an affective response to work [ 50 ] and also when they fulfil what they identify to be of worth for themselves [ 19 ] and take a stand for what is good for themselves [ 34 ]. What previous research indicates here in regard to remaining in practice can be seen as related to what the current study describes as the school nurses identify as the main locus of a good work-life for themselves.…”

“…This article is part of a larger study about self-realization and its influences on school nurses’ remaining in practice [ 34 , 35 ]. This current study has a qualitative design [ 36 ] with a hermeneutic approach [ 37 ], which involves describing what the text says and interpreting what it means.…”

What school nurses strive to achieve for themselves in order to remain in practice: A qualitative study

“…Nevertheless, what the school nurses attributed value to themselves gave an orienting sense and formed their lives as nurses: They remained in school nursing—a finding in line with Kristoffersen and Friberg (2018), who documented that nurses' remaining in other fields of nursing revolves around realizing what is of qualitative worth in their life as a nurse. Moreover, this study indicates what school nurses identify as good for themselves, which may relate to realizing themselves in practice (Mæland et al, 2021). What it is nurses strive to achieve for themselves should therefore not be underestimated but acknowledged as a good of higher value to realize for remaining in practice.…”

“…This demonstrates that the school nurses qualitatively discriminated between goods to consider which was of higher value to realize in each situation in order to remain in practice. It has been stated that to remain in practice, nurses have to balance the contrasts in nursing practice-the goods of higher value that they strive to achieve and the challenges they face (Kristoffersen, 2019) as good for themselves, which may relate to realizing themselves in practice (Maeland et al, 2021). What it is nurses strive to achieve for themselves should therefore not be underestimated but acknowledged as a good of higher value to realize for remaining in practice.…”

“…A nursing practice with high demands prompts school nurses to seek new knowledge and professional growth to improve and fulfil their tasks (Dahl & Clancy, 2015; Glavin et al, 2014; Jönsson et al, 2019; Junious et al, 2004). School nurses who manage their work tasks are more satisfied and likely to remain in practice (Jameson & Bowen, 2020) and research has also demonstrated that school nurses' remaining in practice seem to revolve around taking a stand for what is good for themselves (Mæland et al, 2021).…”