Storied experiences of nurse practitioners managing prehypertension in primary care.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore the nurse practitioner (NP) experience with caring for prehypertensive patients. Lifestyle modifications are the primary recommendation for management of prehypertension. Given the historical foundation of health promotion and disease prevention as a fundamental component of NP professional identity, gaining insight into the experience of caring for prehypertensive patients in the current healthcare environment is valuable to the profession, patients, and communities. Therefore, the NP role in health promotion and disease prevention related to prehypertension was explored as well.


METHODS
Narrative inquiry was the chosen methodology to gather narrative accounts of eight NPs caring for prehypertensive patients in primary care. The three-dimensional narrative inquiry space was used to guide the researcher during data analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Three themes emerged from the NPs' narratives: realities of practice, ambiguous role identity, and bridging models. Time constraints, financial considerations, and bridging the nursing and medical models while adapting to practice environments were barriers identified as components of the NP experience caring for patients with prehypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that caring for prehypertensive patients is a complex and multilayered experience.
Texas Woman's University, Dallas, Texas 75235-7299, USA. johnanna.hernandez@gmail.com
Johnanna
J
Hernandez
Stoerm
S
Anderson
D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008019:Life Style; D009042:Motivation; D033262:Narration; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D024802:Nurse's Role; D057184:Practice Patterns, Nurses'; D011320:Primary Health Care; D014481:United States