A study of hospitalized children ages 6-21 reveals what categories of nurse behaviors made them feel "good, happy, safe and cared about" or "sad, bad, mad, scared or annoyed," according to research published in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality.
The study included 496 pediatric patients at a single children's hospital and lasted from 2007-2009. Researchers used two scales to measures the patients' feelings of sadness, anger, worry, fatigue and pain. In addition to the scales, researchers relied on interviews to assess what patients liked and did not like about their nurses.
Researchers found several categories of positive nurse behaviors helped patients feel a range of positive emotions, such as secure, safe, important and happy. Those nurse behaviors included giving the patients that they need when they need it, checking on patients often and talking/listening to patients. However, some patients also pointed out negative nurse behaviors that made them feel scared, uncomfortable, mad and other negative emotions. Those behaviors include "doing things" that hurt or were uncomfortable or waking patients up.
The study included 496 pediatric patients at a single children's hospital and lasted from 2007-2009. Researchers used two scales to measures the patients' feelings of sadness, anger, worry, fatigue and pain. In addition to the scales, researchers relied on interviews to assess what patients liked and did not like about their nurses.
Researchers found several categories of positive nurse behaviors helped patients feel a range of positive emotions, such as secure, safe, important and happy. Those nurse behaviors included giving the patients that they need when they need it, checking on patients often and talking/listening to patients. However, some patients also pointed out negative nurse behaviors that made them feel scared, uncomfortable, mad and other negative emotions. Those behaviors include "doing things" that hurt or were uncomfortable or waking patients up.
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