Need to Intervene: An Exploratory Study of Nurses' Experiences With Patienthood

Area of Science:

• Healthcare quality and patient safety
• Medical sociology
• Nursing research

Background:

• Extensive research exists on the patient experience, yet limited data explores healthcare providers' perspectives when they become patients or family caregivers.
• Understanding the divergence and convergence between lay patients and healthcare professionals as patients is crucial for system improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the experiences of registered nurses (RNs) when they or their family members are patients within the healthcare system.
• To identify RNs' assessments of the healthcare system based on their dual roles as providers and patients.
• To compare RNs' experiences as patients with general patient satisfaction findings.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory study design was employed.
• A self-administered electronic questionnaire was distributed to a cohort of registered nurses.
• Data collection focused on personal experiences as patients and assessments of the healthcare system.

Main Results:

• RNs' assessments of the healthcare system were generally positive regarding quality of care, staff interactions, and patient engagement.
• However, as patients, RNs reported significant issues with care coordination, responsiveness of medical personnel, attention to care details, and opportunities for patient involvement.
• These findings corroborate concerns previously raised by non-medical patients in satisfaction studies.

Conclusions:

• Nurses' experiences as patients highlight systemic problems that may be obscured when only considering non-expert patient feedback.
• The professional perspective of nurses as patients offers valuable insights into specific breakdowns in healthcare delivery.
• Addressing the identified issues is essential for enhancing the overall patient experience and healthcare system performance.