Increased autonomy in the home care field, along with increased workload due to case management, created stressors for these nurses. Pressures from management to conform to agency policies and procedures and effective time management appeared to be major issues that the group chose to focus on. Group members said they felt nursing was “a different profession” that most people don’t understand. Members said they felt that most people believe “nurses can handle anything” without taking the nurse’s personal and professional feelings into account. All members expressed feeling anxious and ineffective in regard to coping with personal and professional life styles.
The group explored health maintenance and health promotion issues. The expression of feelings was encouraged throughout the group process. Discussion initially centered on each individual’s perception of health and factor that could and do alter one’s health. The results of the assessment tool combined with the knowledge gained during the first session assisted the leader in formulating the nursing diagnoses.