Lived Experiences of Nurses Caring for Children with Asthma in Paediatric Patient Wards in Indonesia

Asthma is a serious health problem among children, and it is important for children to acquire self-management skills in order to optimise their quality of life in the future. Therefore, nurses play an important role in delivering comprehensive nursing care, providing asthma control education, and facilitating appropriate self-management support for paediatric patients. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of nurses caring for children with asthma in paediatric patient wards in Indonesia. The study used a hermeneutic-phenomenological design approach. Using purposive sampling, 12 participants were recruited. The data was collected through in-depth interviews, direct observations, and field notes. Sampling continued until data saturation was achieved. Thematic analysis was conducted following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. The results showed that the lived experiences of nurses caring for children with asthma in paediatric patient wards were categorised into four main themes and nine sub-themes. The four themes included: (1) providing nursing care (nursing priorities and nursing interventions); (2) experiencing personal challenges (communication barriers and feelings of frustration); (3) providing culturally competent care (minimising barriers to treatment and respecting the different cultural beliefs of children and parents); and (4) requiring specialised skills (patience, accuracy in medication administration, and play therapy techniques). Thus, the study concluded that caring for hospitalised children with asthma involves a multifaceted approach, distinct from the care of children with other conditions. Nurses face unique challenges due to the influence of cultural beliefs, religious values, and varied perceptions about the illness. Therefore, nurses have to provide nursing care; experience personal challenges; provide culturally competent care; and require specialised skills.