Thematic categories from FG analysis in this study highlight that RN’s
with less than 5 years experience fell into line
with the practice of their workplace and RN’s with
greater than 5 years experience upheld the practice
of their workplace. Also participants’ beliefs about
best practice were polarised depending on whether
their workplace routinely washed the patient at
02.00—06.00 or 14.00—20.00. These participants
supported their local practice of bed-bathing the
patient between 02.00 and 06.00 citing workload
and organisational factors to support this timing.
Less experienced RNs followed the routine of care
in their ICU but highlighted that they felt this
may or may not be patient-centred care. Notwithstanding
this their clinical practice was congruent
with the practice of their workplace. This is supported
by data from research site B (see Fig. 2)
where the patient bed-bathing is routinely performed
between 02.00 and 06.00. Research site
B was the largest ICU involved in this study and
participants from this site clearly supported their
workplace practice citing workload in a large facility
as the key reason for the timing of the patient
bed-bath.