Possibilities of creating meaningful encounters in anesthesia nursing: Patient and nurse anesthetist interaction before general anesthesia

Anesthesia nursing is performed in a highly technological environment with restricted time for interaction with patients. Patients are in a vulnerable position, which can be characterized by anxiety regarding the anesthetic and surgical procedure. The bedrock of effective nursing care is to facilitate the execution of patients’ basic care needs in a respectful, competent, empathic and personal way. This is achieved by establishing a relationship with the patient, integrating the individual patient’s care needs and making sure that the setting is responsive and committed to these core tasks of nursing.
In this dissertation, focused ethnography is used to explore the interactions between patients and nurse anesthetists before general anesthesia. Moreover, it will explore the professional identity of nurse anesthetists, in relation to the situation of preparing patients for general anesthesia.
A micro-substantive theory is developed regarding the opportunities for creating meaningful encounters between patients and nurse anesthetists. The theory is based on three dominant motivations for interaction in anesthesia nursing. The context of care is not committed and responsive to the core elements of a nurse anesthetist-patient relationship, which results in focus on production-centered care instead of patient-centered care when preparing patients for general anesthesia.