What do orthopaedic nurses think about frailty? A qualitative analysis

Background: Frailty is a complex geriatric syndrome. Frail people frequently experience orthopaedic problems such as falls and fractures. Therefore, orthopaedic nurses often care for frail elderly patients. Aim: To provide deep insight into the orthopaedic nurses’ perspectives regarding frailty. Method: Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 18 orthopaedic nurses in one institution in this descriptive qualitative study. The interviews were transcribed and analysed using the MAXQDA software. Findings: Two main themes and six subthemes were identified. The main themes were: (i) conceptualisation of frailty and (ii) how to cope with frailty. The findings explicated nurses' awareness and perceptions about the frailty concept. Discussion: Orthopaedic nurses heard the concept of frailty for the first time during this study. Understanding more about the perspectives of acute care providers such as orthopaedic nurses can help to guide care planning, improve care of frail people, and make better health care outcomes. Conclusion: Knowing more about the perspectives of orthopaedic nurses can help identify frailty and activate multidisciplinary care. Educating nurses about frailty may promote caring strategies for frail people with complex care needs.