Peer-reviewed article
Nurses' experiences and challenges in postnatal stabilisation of newborns: a phenomenological study.
Akdogan R, Yürük Yucakuş SN ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study explored how neonatal nurses experience and manage the critical period immediately after birth when newborns are stabilised. Nurses described this work as high-stakes and emotionally demanding, requiring rapid coordination and adherence to protocols. While clinical protocols helped nurses feel confident, they faced barriers including limited authority, communication gaps, and organisational constraints. The research suggests that better organisational support, communication, and professional development could help nurses manage the emotional and ethical challenges of this work.
Key points
- Postnatal stabilisation was experienced as a multidimensional practice shaped by clinical responsibility, organisational context, teamwork dynamics, and emotional labour
- Clinical protocols enhanced nurses' confidence and supported decision-making in this high-stakes threshold phase
- Nurses experienced ethical tension and professional frustration due to limited authority, environmental constraints, and communication gaps
- Emotional involvement and fear of irreversible error contributed to psychological burden on nurses
- Documentation practices and continuous education were identified as protective strategies for managing the emotional demands of the work
Limitations
This was a qualitative study based on the lived experiences of 17 nurses in one tertiary hospital, so findings may not be generalisable to other settings or healthcare systems. The study does not measure the direct impact of these experiences on newborn outcomes or provide quantitative evidence of specific interventions.
Abstract
Background Postnatal stabilisation of newborns is a critical phase that directly influences neonatal survival and long-term outcomes. Neonatal nurses play a central role in this process, yet limited research has explored their lived experiences, particularly regarding clinical responsibility, organisational constraints, and emotional demands. This study aimed to explore nurses' lived experiences of stabilising newborns during the immediate postnatal period and to identify the clinical, organisational, relational, and emotional dimensions shaping this practice. Methods A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted using in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 17 neonatal nurses working in delivery room and operating theatre units of a tertiary hospital. Data were collected between August and December 2025. Interviews were analysed using Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method to identify themes reflecting nurses' lived experiences. Results Five interrelated themes emerged: clinical competence and standardisation; structural and hierarchical barriers; relational dynamics and safety culture; emotional labour and moral distress; and strategic defence and professional development. Nurses experienced postnatal stabilisation as a high-stakes threshold requiring rapid, coordinated, and protocol-based actions to ensure newborn survival. While clinical protocols enhanced confidence and supported decision-making, limited authority, environmental constraints, and communication gaps generated ethical tension and professional frustration. Emotional involvement, empathic identification with newborns, and fear of irreversible error contributed to psychological burden, whereas documentation practices and continuous education were perceived as protective strategies. Conclusions Postnatal stabilisation is experienced by nurses as a multidimensional practice rather than a purely technical intervention. Clinical responsibility, organisational context, teamwork dynamics, and emotional labour collectively shape this process. The findings suggest that organisational support, effective communication, and ongoing professional development may help address challenges experienced during postnatal stabilisation and inform improvements in neonatal nursing practice.