A phenomenological investigation into theatre nurses’ perceptions of their work environment in one National Health Service operating theatre

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Choudhry, Waqas (2021) A phenomenological investigation into theatre nurses’ perceptions of their work environment in one National Health Service operating theatre. Doctoral thesis, University of West London.

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Abstract

This qualitative study explores theatre nurses’ (TNs) perceptions of their work environment in a UK NHS Trust. The aim is to shed light on a speciality of nursing which works ‘behind closed doors. To achieve this, the research adopts a phenomenological approach with semi-structured interviews with TNs, all of whom currently work in a theatre unit.
The aims for this thesis are to establish:
1. How do theatre nurses perceive their work environment?
a. To better understand the nature of TNs perceptions and disaggregate the various factors which are involved in their construction.
b. To identify and explore any organisational, cultural, or social issues that may facilitate or prevent an effective work environment.
c. To identify and explore strategies for addressing key challenges and barriers to improving the TN experience.
Social Identity Theory (SIT) is employed as the underpinning theoretical framework to analyse the barriers that TNs face in performing the duties attached to their respective roles, as well as for analysing the negative drivers they experience in the workplace.
The results illustrate that job satisfaction is a key concern for TNs, with influences from the effectiveness of teamwork, collaboration, and communication. The study identifies that TNs’ roles are heavily dependent on effective communication and collaboration, given the necessity of working with other multidisciplinary teams.
The results of the study also highlight the difficulties in TN recruitment and the resultant dependency on international recruitment. These further accentuated issues over communication between TNs from different cultural backgrounds and operative contexts.
Drawing on the results, several solutions are proposed for improving TN perceptions of their work environment and role. Recommendations are also provided for future research and policy making, particularly in terms of the mediating role that managerial staff can employ in addressing TNs’ key concerns, as well as in terms of broader issues across the NHS healthcare system. Further research is needed to establish if the experiences of the theatre nurses in this study are representative of what occurs in other operating departments.

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	Medicine and health > Nursing
Depositing User:	Waqas Choudhry
Date Deposited:	09 May 2022 14:05
Last Modified:	04 Nov 2024 12:31
URI:	https://repository.uwl.ac.uk/id/eprint/9063