- Title
- The factors influencing, and the nature of their impact, on the ability of child and family health nurses to work in the Family Partnership Model with parents: a focused ethnography
- Creator
- Dowse, Eileen Mary
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2016
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Background: Child and family services in Australia have evolved this century from expert led ways of working with families to a greater emphasis on therapeutic approaches underpinned by the Family Partnership Model (FPM) (Davis & Day, 2010). The FPM involves a particular way of interacting with the family that is based on mutual respect and recognition of complementary expertise. There are numerous challenges facing the current NSW Child and Family Health Nursing workforce that required consideration in relation to the model being adopted into clinical nursing practice (Bennett, 2013). Research Design: Adapting Bronfenbrenner’s (1979) ecological model and using focused ethnography, this study examined the views of one nurse manager, nine child and family health nurses and nine mothers regarding the factors influencing, and the nature of their impact on the child and family health nurse’s ability to work in the FPM with parents (mothers/fathers and infants). Data Collection: Data was collected via interviews and participant observation. Participant observation included the use of video recordings of nurse-mother/baby consultations held at the nurses’ centres. These video recordings informed the content of follow-up interviews held with nurses. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the aggregated data (Braun & Clarke, 2006). Findings: The findings from this research comprise the macro to micro factors arising for CFHNs that impact on their ability to work in the FPM with mothers. CFHNs are subject to multifactorial influences and challenges which emanate from their work environment and from the intrinsic distractions of their physical bodies and emotions. These influences were identified by CFHNs as both positive and less positive in terms of their impact on their ability to work in the FPM with mothers. Four major themes were identified: Theme 1: The CFHNs’ Work Environment and Culture; Theme 2: Managing the Body: CFHN Body Work and Partnership Practice; Theme 3: A Mindful Space; and, Theme 4: The Mother’s Evaluation of CFHN Care. The findings from this study provide empirical evidence of the clash between the institution’s neoliberal policies and governmentality practices, the reality of the CFHN’s work environment and the lack of congruence with CFHNs’ values of holistically caring and working in the FPM with mothers. Findings from this study suggest that NSW Health and other agencies invested in the promotion of parenting capacity and the health and well-being of children consider the implementation of processes that support and sustain the emotion work and FPM practice of CFHNs with mothers. This study found that the practice of mindfulness was one such process not previously associated with being essential to the implementation of the FPM. Mindfulness, if integrated within the FPM, could assist CFHNs find the necessary “space” and agency required to sustain family partnership work with mothers/babies. It could also provide a means for CFHNs to experience enhanced personal well-being and greater practice accord between their own values and beliefs and that of the organisation in regard to care of families and working in partnership. Conclusion: Recommendations arising from this study have been identified for nursing practice and further research. A key recommendation is that the framework of the FPM evolves to incorporate the concept and practice of “mindful partnership” within the FPM framework. Mindfulness is recommended as both a self-care strategy for CFHNs’ well-being as well as a fundamental mechanism to enhance their ability to be present and to communicate effectively in working in the FPM with parents and others
- Subject
- child and family health nursing; qualitative methodology; focused ethnography; Family Partnership Model; ecological model; mindfulness; parents; mother; video-recording
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1315577
- Identifier
- uon:22965
- Rights
- Copyright 2016 Eileen Mary Dowse
- Language
- eng
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 3 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 563 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |