Factors triggering the progressive detachment of nurses toward the fundamental needs of patients: findings from a qualitative study

The progressive desensitization of nurses in relation to fundamental needs (FNs) has been documented in anecdotical, scientific, and policy literature with nurses spending limited time at the bedside, thus affecting the quality of care and clinical outcomes. A potential reason that has been recognized is the limited nursing staff available in the units. However, other cultural, social, and psychological factors which have not been investigated to date may have a role in triggering the phenomenon. To investigate nurses’ perceptions of the reasons that progressively detach clinical nurses from the FNs of patients, was the main intent of the study. In 2020, a qualitative study based on grounded theory following the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines was performed. Purposeful sampling was adopted, by including 22 clinical nurses designated as ‘good nurses’ according to the perception of nurses working in executive and academic position. All agreed to be interviewed face-to-face. The detachment of nurses from the patients’ FNs has been explained by three main factors that are interconnected: namely ‘Being personally and professionally convinced regarding the role of FNs’, ‘Being progressively detached from the FNs’, and ‘Being forced to be detached from FNs’. Nurses also identified a category including strategies aimed at preventing detachment and ‘Rediscovering the FNs as the core of nursing’. Nurses are personally and professionally convinced about the relevance of the FNs. However, they distance themselves from the FNs due to: (a) factors mainly attributable to internal personal and professional forces, such as the emotional fatigue that daily work entails; and (b) external forces related to the work environment where nurses work. To prevent this detrimental process that may result in negative outcomes for patients and their relatives, several strategies at the individual, organizational, and educational levels should be implemented. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11739-023-03289-6.