| Author: | Lau, Wai-kee Vicky |
| Title: | A phenomenological study of the lived experience of mothers' caring for children hospitalized with injury or acute illness in general paediatric wards in Hong Kong |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2010 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations Sick children -- Care -- China -- Hong Kong Mother and child -- China -- Hong Kong |
| Department: | School of Nursing |
| Pages: | viii, 134 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Little is known about the experiences of mothers caring for their hospitalized children in general paediatric wards in Hong Kong. However, the experiences of mothers in caring for their hospitalized children in the acute care setting have been well documented in the West. The transferability of those findings from the West to a Chinese population is questionable. In the West, studies used both qualitative and quantitative approaches. However, there are few studies of Chinese mothers' experiences in caring for their hospitalized children using a qualitative approach. Qualitative research can provide rich descriptions or interpretations of the caring process. In this study, the hermeneutic interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted to explore the lived experience of mothers caring for children hospitalized with injury or acute illness in general paediatric wards in Hong Kong. Fifteen mothers were recruited and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide with the help of open-ended interview questions. The interviews were tape recorded, transcribed, analyzed and coded to make sense of the data. Crist and Tanner's (2003) circular process of hermeneutic interpretative phenomenology was adopted to guide the data analysis. Lincoln and Guba's (1985) trustworthiness criteria were employed to assess the rigour of the study. Three themes emerged from the data: 1) developing constant vigilance, 2) having unexpressed needs and 3) developing acute awareness of the details of the child's condition. In addition, thirteen subthemes emerged: monitoring children's condition and progress, watching over them, maintaining dialogue, providing helping hands, monitoring health care providers' attitude and performance, seeking assurance, lacking assurance, seeking information, not being satisfied, not being informed, not being supported, not being understood, and being sensitive to the treatment. The findings of this study underscore the importance of nurses' understanding and empathy for the mothers' experiences of caring for their hospitalized children and the need for an appropriate ward orientation program to be tailored to inform ward policy and improve environmental facilities and other relevant resources for mothers. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
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| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b23526865.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 4.08 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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