Qualitative inquiry into Registered General Nurses’ experiences in the emergency centre

INTRODUCTION: Though nurses are frontline workers in emergency care, their experiences in emergency centres are seldom researched. This study explored lived experiences of Registered General Nurses working in emergency centres. METHODS: This study employed an exploratory qualitative design. Purposive sampling was used in selecting hospitals and participants for study. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 20 Registered General Nurses who worked in emergency centres. Data analysis was performed through content analysis. RESULTS: Demographic results revealed that only one respondent used knowledge of critical care nursing to practice emergency care in an emergency centre. Four thematic categories emerged after qualitative data analysis: a) Emergency centre as a place of learning and increased confidence for nurses; b) Feelings of joy in emergency centres; c) Social and physical consequences of emergency centres on lives of emergency centre nurses; d) Clients receiving low quality care in emergency centres. DISCUSSION: Employment of specialist trained emergency staff and formal education of Registered General Nurses in the advanced role of emergency care nursing may be necessary to improve quality of care rendered to clients in emergency centres.