Abstract
Background: parkinson's is an age-dependent, neurological disease characterised by complex motor and non-motor symptoms that render activities of daily living hard to manage with time. There is currently no cure for parkinson's disease therefore care is done in the community with the help of parkinson's nurse specialists (pNS). The incidence of parkinson's in New Zealand is rising owing to an aging population. However, the role of a pNS is non-existent and a pathway to training pNS is yet to be established.
purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of nurses working with parkinson's patients in Canterbury community. Aim: The aim was to gain an understanding of their role(s) and limitations in order to inform current training needs, in preparation for meeting future healthcare demands of this population.
Methodology: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore these nurses' experiences. Data was collected using face-to-face and Zoom interviews with three nurse participants from the community. Analysis: Data was then analysed using thematic analysis approach.
Findings: Three main themes and six sub-themes emerged from the data collected. The first theme was on the Knowledge of parkinson's disease process with sub-themes: Nurses' education and training, and patient and caregivers' education on parkinson's disease. The second theme was on Coordination of care, with sub-themes: Referrals and Advocacy. The third theme was on Family-based approach to care of people living with parkinson's disease. The two sub-themes under the third main theme were Caregivers' role, on one hand, and Caregivers' burn-out and respite on the other.
Conclusion: Findings from this research suggest that there is need for establishing a training pathway for pNS in New Zealand. This will equip the nurses already working with people living with parkinson's disease in this community and will be a conduit for more nurses to join this specialised field.