Exploring rural Nurses' preparedness and post-resuscitation experiences. An ethnographic study

Aim: The focus of this paper is to provide a detailed ethnographic exploration of rural nurses' experiences of their resuscitation preparedness and the subsequent post-resuscitation period. Design: An ethnographic study across two small rural hospital sites in New South Wales, Australia. Methods: Fieldwork was undertaken between December 2020 and March 2022 and included over 240 h of nonparticipant observation, journalling and interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The first key theme—‘Sense of Preparedness’—included three subthemes: ‘Gaining experience’, ‘Issues with training and education’ and ‘Lack of warning’. The second key theme ‘Aftermath’ comprised two subthemes: ‘Getting on with it’ and ‘Making sense of the resus’. Conclusion: This study has highlighted the intricate relationship between resuscitative preparedness and the post-resuscitation period in shaping rural nurse's experiences and their well-being. Rural nurses are asking for an authentic and contextually relevant training experience that mirrors the unique rural challenges they experience. In the absence of frequent resuscitation presentations, the post-resuscitation period should be viewed as a crucible moment that can be leveraged as a valuable learning opportunity enhancing rural nurses' sense of preparedness and the provision of quality resuscitation care. Impact: Having a greater level of insight into the challenges that rural nurses experience in the pre- and post-resuscitation period is critical. This insight opens the door for fortifying policies and work processes that will better support rural nurses in the resuscitation environment. Reporting Method: Reporting complied with COREQ criteria for qualitative research. No Patient or Public Contribution: This study explored the experiences of rural nurses. No patient data were collected.<p></p>