Caring for the Acutely, Severely Ill Child-A Multifaceted Situation with Paradoxical Elements: Swedish Healthcare Professionals' Experiences.
UNLABELLED
The aim of this study was to describe healthcare professionals' experience of caring for acutely, severely ill children in hospital in Sweden.


DESIGN AND METHODS
Five focus group interviews were conducted with nurses, nurse assistants and physicians comprising a total of 20 participants. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis.


RESULTS
An overall theme emerged that describes healthcare professionals' experiences as: "being in a multifaceted area of tension with paradoxical elements". The theme is based on three categories: proficiency of the individuals and the team is the fundamental base; interactions are crucial in an area of tension; and wellbeing of the individual is a balance of contradictory emotions. With maintained focus on the ill child, proficiency is the fundamental base, interactions are crucial, and moreover contradictory emotions are described.


CONCLUSIONS
The interplay based on proficiency may influence the assessments and treatments of acutely, severely ill children.


PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
Recognizing the multifaceted area of tension with paradoxical elements, practical teamwork exercises, a structured approach, and assessment tools could be a possible way to develop interprofessional team collaboration to improve the care of acutely, severely ill children in order to increase patient safety.
['Almblad|Ann-Charlotte|AC|', 'Målqvist|Mats|M|', 'Engvall|Gunn|G|']
D000208:Acute Disease D000328:Adult D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D002983:Clinical Competence D016638:Critical Illness D005260:Female D017144:Focus Groups D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric D006801:Humans D007400:Interprofessional Relations D007407:Interviews as Topic D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D010348:Patient Care Team D061214:Patient Safety D018802:Patient-Centered Care D036301:Qualitative Research D012720:Severity of Illness Index D013548:Sweden
Healthcare professionals Children Focus groups Content analysis Interprofessional Pediatric care