Practices and attitudes concerning endometriosis among nurses specializing in gynecology (26 May 2016)

Summary

Endometriosis is a chronic disease affecting approximately 10% of fertile women. These women often have negative health care experiences. This study from Bach et al. adds new knowledge about endometriosis care in a hospital setting and nurses’ attitudes toward the disease.

To explore how the personal attitudes of gynaecological nurses, their specialised knowledge, and their clinical experiences influenced the way they conceptualised and cared for women with endometriosis, participant observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted.

Categorisation of patients into certain kinds, with more or less legitimate needs, provided an important framework for practice. Specialised knowledge qualified the nurses’ views of their patients and seemed to be conducive to sustained patient involvement. However, the organisation of care based solely on medical specialisation restricted a holistic approach. An important goal is, therefore, to investigate patients’ perspectives of health and illness and to create participatory relationships with patients, regardless of their diagnosis.