• Anne Korhonen and Mari Kangasniemi.
• Department of Paediatrics and Adolescence, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 23, Fin 90029 OYS, Finland. Electronic address: anne.t.korhonen@ppshp.fi.
• Eur J Oncol Nurs. 2013 Dec 1; 17 (6): 732-8.

PurposeThe aim of the study was to describe nurses', physicians' and parents' perceptions of primary nursing as a working model in a paediatric oncology care setting.MethodThe qualitative descriptive approach was selected in order to obtain rich content by exploring of individual perceptions related to the experiences of primary nursing. Focus group interviews were used with staff and individual interviews with the parents. Data from different participants were analysed together by using inductive content analysis.ResultsPrimary nursing was revealed as a confused and unstructured tradition which allowed variation in the role of the primary nurse and in the process. Within the role of a primary nurse, the orientation to primary nursing varied consisting of coordinating of care, task orientated and relation orientated primary nursing. The starting of the process was sudden and accidental by nature involving the aspects of commencement and allocation of the process. At the end of the process different emphasis existed in terms of the length of the process as highlighting early phase, comprehensive process and never getting to the end. Staff notions varied more than those of the parents.ConclusionPerceptions related to primary nursing as a working model were revealed to be confusing by nature from the point of view of all involved. Thus, clarification is needed in the role of primary nurses and the process of primary nursing in order to gain expected family and organisational outcomes.Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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