https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/2291 2026-04-04T12:06:20Z 2026-04-04T12:06:20Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145245 2026-04-01T08:40:08Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The perceptions of ITU nurses on organ donation Abstract: Background: Organ Donation occurs when an individual consents to donate their healthy organ/s for transplantation into a recipient with compromised, failing, or dysfunctional organs. Donation after Brain Death, which is one out of the three types of organ donation, typically occurs in an ITU setting and ITU nurses are generally involved in all the processes related to this procedure. Aim: To explore the perceptions of ITU nurses working in a Local General Hospital in Malta regarding the process of organ donation. Methodology and Design: This study adopted a qualitative approach based on in-depth semi-structured interviews, drawing upon the principles of Grounded Theory. Setting: The study took place in an ITU setting within a General Hospital in Malta. Participants: Eight nurses working in the ITU setting were selected using a mixture of purposive and theoretical sampling. Participants had to be nurses working in the ITU and fluent in Maltese and/or English. Methods: Data was collected by semi-structured interviews which were transcribed verbatim. This study used analytical procedures that are in line with grounded theory methods involving coding and constant comparison of data which lead to the development of a theory about the ITU nurse’s perceptions on organ donation. Results: ITU nurses were found to have a central role in the organ donation process. As part of their role, they are involved in supporting relatives emotionally and in their decision-making regarding donating the organs of their loved one. It also involved preserving patient’s organs for donation while respecting their dignity. Various factors were found to influence ITU nurses’ roles. This included the hospital system and cultural factors. Nurses perceived their role at varied levels of difficulty and were all generally affected emotionally by the organ donation process. Conclusion: ITU nurses are centrally important in the process of organ donation and their role is complex and multifaceted. In this respect, they require support from the system within which they work. This, together with other factors are likely to influence the effectiveness and efficiency of the organ donation process Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145244 2026-04-01T08:15:09Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: LGBTIQ+ persons’ perception of cultural competence and cultural sensitivity in Maltese in-patient care Abstract: Background: Malta has advanced LGBTIQ+ rights through progressive legislation, yet inclusive healthcare is not assured. Evidence shows that LGBTIQ+ patients still face stigma, discrimination, and reduced access in hospital settings. Nurses play a crucial role in shaping these experiences, but limited cultural competence and inadequate training can compromise trust and care quality. Objectives: The study explores how LGBTIQ+ individuals experience hospitalisation in Malta. It aims to explore the perceived extent to which (i) nursing care is culturally sensitive; (ii) the structural environment of the health care premises promotes cultural inclusivity; (iii) the local healthcare systems and policies are culturally competent. It also aims to (iv) identify facilitators and barriers to culturally competent care in relation to the local LGBTIQ+ community needs. Methodology: A phenomenological exploratory design employed semi-structured interviews to capture the lived experiences of ten LGBTIQ+ persons hospitalised in Malta, recruited through an intermediary and interviewed between December 2024 and January 2025. The analytic process integrated reflexive thematic approaches to preserve both the individuality of participants’ testimonies and the identification of cross-case meanings. Ethical approval was obtained from the University Research Ethics Committee. Results: Participants highlighted many respectful, supportive interactions while also noting areas for improvement. Findings indicate strong foundations for inclusive care, with clear opportunities to enhance consistency across services. Key barriers included subtle heteronormative assumptions, occasional lack of confidence in discussing sexuality or gender identity, and uneven knowledge of gender-affirming care. Differences in communication styles, documentation practices, and structural supports also contributed to variation in how inclusivity was experienced. Despite these challenges, participants’ experiences show meaningful progress and a strong platform for continued growth in culturally competent, person-centred care. Conclusion: The study recommends embedding cultural competence for LGBTIQ+ patients into healthcare systems rather than relying on individual goodwill. This requires sustained professional education, explicit policy reform, and organisational commitment to inclusive practices and environments. These actions are essential to ensuring more dignified, equitable, and responsive nursing care. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145243 2026-04-01T09:06:12Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The experiences of critical care nurses providing end-of-life care in the ICU Abstract: Background: Within the intensive care unit (ICU), where technology and cure prevail, nurses frequently accompany patients through dying and death. Providing end-of-life care (EOLC) in this curative environment requires reconciling technical proficiency with compassion and ethical sensitivity. Yet, compared with palliative settings, limited evidence explores how ICU nurses themselves make sense of this experience. Aim: To explore and interpret the lived experiences of ICU nurses providing EOLC to critically ill patients in a Maltese tertiary care hospital. Design and Methods: A qualitative study grounded in Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and informed by the Relational Ethics Framework (Bergum & Dossetor, 2005) was undertaken. Four experienced ICU nurses were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed through iterative interpretative cycles consistent with IPA principles. Results: Four Group Experiential Themes (GETs) were identified: (1) Shaping the dying process, advocacy and facilitation of a “good death”; (2) Carrying the weight of end-of-life care, emotional and psychological burdens moderated by diverse coping strategies; (3) Care beyond the patient, supporting families through communication and presence; and (4) End-of-life care in a curative space, ethical practice constrained by the ICU’s technological and institutional culture. Collectively, these themes reveal how nurses strive to humanise dying and uphold dignity and personhood despite systemic and emotional challenges. Conclusion and Implications: The interpretative findings of this study reveal how ICU nurses strive to honour the human experience of dying in a setting designed for cure, upholding dignity and personhood through advocacy, emotional presence and relational engagement while navigating hierarchical and systemic constraints. Caring for dying patients and families was experienced as both deeply meaningful and emotionally demanding, highlighting the need for structured education, clear EOLC guidelines, and accessible psychological support. Embedding relational ethics principles into training, interprofessional collaboration, and institutional policy can strengthen compassionate communication, moral resilience, and workforce wellbeing, thereby sustaining high-quality, person-centred EOLC within technologically intensive settings. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/145242 2026-04-01T08:19:29Z 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The lived experiences of supportive care patients after receiving care in the emergency department Abstract: Background: Cancer patients receiving supportive care frequently present to Emergency Departments (EDs) with complex physical, psychological and emotional needs. Despite the increase in interest abroad, little is known about how these patients experience ED care locally. This study addresses this gap by exploring the lived experiences of supportive care patients following their ED visit. Aim: To explore and understand the lived experiences of supportive care patients during their visits to the ED, including their challenges, needs, emotional responses and perceptions of care. Methods: A qualitative study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted. Six adult cancer patients receiving supportive care, each with at least one ED visit within a year were recruited through purposive sampling. Data collection was carried out using in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted in the participants’ preferred language, transcribed manually and analysed systematically. Results: Four Group Experiential Themes (GETs) emerged: “Experiencing the ED Environment”, “Relationships, Communication and Trust in Care”, “Emotional Trajectories of the ED Journey”, and “Coping, Resilience and Hopes for Change”. Participants described the ED environment as chaotic, overcrowded, noisy and lacking privacy, which in turn heightened vulnerability and distress. Long waiting times and feelings of being deprioritised were common, though many recognised systemic pressures such as staff shortages and high patient volume. Trust in healthcare professionals, clear communication, and smalls acts of care and compassion positively shaped their experiences. Emotional responses ranged from fear, anxiety and uncertainty to moments of relief and gratitude. Participants expressed desires for shorter waiting times, larger spaces, improved communication and safer environments for immunocompromised patients. Conclusion: Supportive care patients experience the ED as emotionally and physically challenging, yet their accounts highlight the centrality of communication, person-centred interactions and hopes for change. These findings provide important insights for enhancing ED services for vulnerable populations. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z