Adjustment strategies among Iranian pregnant nurses in continuing nursing care: a qualitative content analysis.

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnant nurses often adopt a "prioritizing the fetus" mindset, balancing their professional duties with health concerns. They must adjust to manage, learn, and adapt to new circumstances. This study explores pregnant nurses' adjustment strategies to continue providing nursing care.

Materials and methods: This was a qualitative conventional content analysis. Eighteen participants, including 14 pregnant nurses and four nursing managers (two head nurses and two supervisors), were involved in the study. To achieve rich and adequate data, the aim was to achieve maximum variation in terms of age, educational level, departments, and different stages of pregnancy. Data collection tools included in-depth, semi-structured interviews, observations, and field notes based on the central research question. Data analysis was conducted using the Graneheim and Lundman method. MAXQDA version 2020 software was utilized for data management.

Results: After analyzing the collected data, five categories emerged: "Strategic Concealment," "Enhancing patience and tolerance," "Attention to internal drivers and emotions," "Efforts to maintain and promote health," and "Efforts to improve professional performance".

Conclusion: In providing nursing care during pregnancy, nurses adopt various strategies to adjust and align their caregiving with their pregnancy status. Achieving these strategies requires adequate support from nursing managers, especially head nurses, who are the closest and most influential figures. Therefore, educating nurses and managers on effective adjustment strategies can be crucial in facilitating the adjustment process. Policy-making and the formulation of adjusted regulations for the employment of pregnant nurses can help alleviate the stress associated with the challenges of the nursing profession. These measures contribute to maintaining nurses' physical and mental health during pregnancy and enhancing the quality of patient care.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.