Working with local nurses to promote hospital‐nursing care during humanitarian assignments overseas: experiences from the perspectives of nurses

Ingrid Tjoflåt, Bjørg Karlsen and Britt Sætre Hansen

Journal of Clinical Nursing, 2016, vol. 25, issue 11-12, 1654-1662

Abstract: Aims and objectives To describe how Norwegian expatriate nurses engaged in humanitarian assignments overseas experience working with the local nurses promoting nursing care in the hospital ward. Background Western countries have a long tradition of providing nurses with expert knowledge in nursing care for humanitarian projects and international work overseas. Studies from humanitarian mission revealed that health workers rarely acknowledge or use the local knowledge. However, there is a lack of studies highlighting expatriate nurses’ experiences working with local nurses to promote nursing care in the hospital ward. Design This study applies a descriptive explorative qualitative design. Methods The data were collected in 2013 by means of seven semi‐structured interviews and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Findings The data analyses revealed three themes related to the expatriate nurses’ experiences of working with the local nurses to promote nursing care in the hospital ward: (1) Breaking the code, (2) Colliding worlds and (3) Challenges in sharing knowledge. The findings reflect different challenges when working with the local nurses. Conclusion Findings indicate valuable knowledge gained about local nursing care and the local health and educational system. They also demonstrate challenges for the expatriate nurses related to the local nursing standard in the wards and using the local nurses’ experiences and knowledge when working together. Relevance to clinical practice The findings can inform nurses, humanitarian organisations and institutions working overseas regarding the recruitment and the preparation of nurses who want to work cross‐ culturally or in humanitarian missions overseas.

Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:25:y:2016:i:11-12:p:1654-1662

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