Experiences of nurses working at day-service centres for people with intellectual disabilities/intellectual and physical disabilities and their interactions with service-users

BackgroundPeople with intellectual/intellectual and physical disabilities frequently use day-service centres, an array of services that involve the provision of care and social activities during the daytime and offer homebound people with disabilities opportunities to live in their communities. While nurses working at day-service centres for people with disabilities are expected to promote service-users' health, little research has focused on this area. Nurses' relationships with service-users of day-service centres have not been sufficiently investigated regarding how their interactions determine service-users' specific activities and daily lives within such facilities. This study sought to address this research gap.MethodsWe conducted a qualitative descriptive study with six nurses working at day-service centres located in Tohoku region, Japan. Six participants were interviewed 16 times. The psychological-phenomenological method developed by Amedeo Giorgi was used as the model for data analysis.FindingsThe analysis generated five themes. First, nurses show interest in service-users by 'continuing to show interest' and by 'trying to understand the service-users from the perspective of what they can do'. Additionally, the nurses ensure that service-users enjoy their time in the facility by 'supporting enjoyment through nursing and medical care', 'stabilising feelings' and 'creating an environment conducive to everyone's comfort'.ConclusionsNurses working at day-service centres for people with intellectual/intellectual and physical disabilities provide support for social participation while maintaining the service-users' mental and physical health. Thus, these nurses support enjoyment among service-users from the nursing and medical care aspect; they also devise ways for service-users to interact and adjust to the environment to improve service-users' comfort at day-service centres. Furthermore, participation in daytime activities at day-service centres indicated that nurses are interested in service-users' activities, and they perceive service-users as positive individuals. This study shows how nurses working at day-service centres for people with disabilities in Japan understand their approach and engage with service-users.Nurses working at day-service centres understood the service-users and focused on what they were good at and what they were able to do. Based on this understanding, the nurses use specialised knowledge to ensure that service-users can enjoy their time at the day-service centres, while providing approaches for mental and physical stability and support for daytime activities.Nurses attempt to make service-users feel comfortable at day-service centres to encourage them to continue visiting the centres.This study is relevant to people with disabilities, as it contributes to future nursing care direction for this population from the perspective of nurses' professional experiences.