“I Think It’s Pretty Much the Same, as It Should Be”: Perspectives of Inpatient Care Among Women Veterans

The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the inpatient hospitalization experience for women veterans through in-depth interviews. Women veterans who were admitted for inpatient care on medical units within a university-affiliated VA hospital were invited to participate in a se...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Qualitative health research 2018-03, Vol.28 (4), p.600-609
Main Authors: Shamaskin-Garroway, Andrea M., Knobf, M. Tish, Adams, Lynette J., Haskell, Sally G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Clinical medicine
Equality
Health care
Hospitalization
Inpatient care
Medical education
Military hospitals
Patients
Qualitative research
Saturation
Veterans
Women
Womens health
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to gain a deeper understanding of the inpatient hospitalization experience for women veterans through in-depth interviews. Women veterans who were admitted for inpatient care on medical units within a university-affiliated VA hospital were invited to participate in a semistructured interview that inquired about their hospital experience, interactions with medical providers, and how being a woman veteran might affect this experience. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using constant comparative method until thematic saturation was achieved (n = 25). Three themes, (a) Being a woman and a veteran: Intersecting identities, (b) Expecting equality and equity, and (c) Defining woman-centered inpatient care described the unique perspective and context for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care of women veterans. These findings provide insight and guidance to clinical practice and care delivery for women veterans, including training and interpersonal approaches medical providers can take to improve the hospital experience for women.
ISSN:1049-7323
1552-7557
DOI:10.1177/1049732317746380