Professional Pride

Vikström, S., & Johansson, K. (2019). Professional pride: A qualitative descriptive study of nursing home staff’s experiences of how a quality development project influenced their work. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 28, 2760-2768.

This article describes a researcher led intervention to use reflection meetings to improve the quality of work and care in Swedish nursing homes. The intervention was organized around a new set of dementia care guidelines. The meetings brought workers together to identify areas where they were falling short of the new guidelines and brainstorm ways they could meet the new requirements. Through a process of facilitated dialogue not only was work improved but the culture of the unit was changed: workers felt that they were part of a team working together to provide care. Trust and respect among workers was also improved as a result of the conversations that formed the heart of this intervention.