Publication Date
Spring 2018
Degree Type
Doctoral Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Arlene Spilker
Second Advisor
Judith Foyabo
Third Advisor
Nhi Amy Nguyen
Keywords
Barriers to care, Autism spectrum disorder
Abstract
The increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) foretells that this sector of the population will be accessing health care services in greater numbers; thus, it behooves healthcare providers to prepare for their impending needs. This qualitative study describes the experiences of baccalaureate prepared registered nurses caring for children and adolescents with ASD in order to identify challenges that hinder providing comprehensive and individualized care. A purposive sample of 10 baccalaureate degreed registered nurses (RNs) who have worked or work in the pediatric unit was used to gather rich descriptive experiences. The qualitative data analyses were based on an interpretive phenomenological approach. The participants identified two significant barriers to the quality care of the individuals with ASD in the pediatric setting. The first barrier, “Knowledge Deficit About ASD,” embodies lack of general knowledge about the ASD population. The second barrier, “Not Knowing the ASD Patient,” entails the importance of having the knowledge needed to individualize the care of individuals with ASD. The unresolved barriers that nurses face when caring for patients with ASD, along with the absence of guidelines, limited educational content, and insufficient in-service training underscores the need to establish evidence-based practice guidelines for individuals with ASD. Additionally, the resounding findings of this study, “Knowledge Deficit About ASD,” and “Not Knowing the ASD Patient,” indicate a need to change nursing education to efficiently train undergraduates, graduates, and faculty to adequately care for patients with ASD.
Recommended Citation
Ndubaku, Ugo, "Barriers to Providing Quality Care for Pediatric Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder as Identified by Baccalaureate Prepared Registered Nurses: A Basis to Enhance Professional Practice" (2018). Doctoral Projects. 74.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.9ck7-c9dr
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_doctoral/74
