The study described in this paper explored the adult patient's perspective of quality nursing care in acute-care hospital settings in Western Australia. Using grounded theory methodology, the author sought also to discover factors perceived by patients to influence the delivery of high quality nursing care. The findings revealed that patients perceived different levels, in terms of quality, of the care delivered. The level of quality of care was found to depend on certain contextual and intervening conditions pertaining to the broader environment, the organisation and personal factors of the nurse and patient. Variations in patient satisfaction and patients' feelings of vulnerability were related to the levels of care they received. The factors perceived by patients as either inhibiting or enhancing the quality of nursing care are the focus of this paper.

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The maternal process of managing established breastfeeding and, ultimately, weaning the child from the breast was explored using the grounded theory method. Data were analyzed from interview transcripts from mothers, field notes, postal questionnaires from fathers, and individual and discussion group interviews with child health nurses within a Western Australian context. A common social problem emerged for women in the management of their breastfeeding when personal expectations were found to oppose the expectations of others. Being confronted with these incompatible expectations resulted in confusion, self-doubt, and guilt for mothers. These findings are discussed to assist health professionals support breastfeeding mothers.

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to analyze the maternal process of managing the later stages of established breast-feeding and, ultimately, weaning the child from the breast within a Western Australian context. Data were analyzed from 33 participants’interview transcripts, field notes, 9 postal questionnaires from fathers, and individual and discussion group interviews with child health nurses. A common social problem of incompatible expectations was revealed. All participants faced a dilemma in the management of their experience when personal expectations were in opposition to others’ expectations. A process of Constructing Compatibility by Adapting Focus was adopted to compensate for this incompatibility.

The maternal process of managing established breastfeeding and, ultimately, weaning the child from the breast was explored using the grounded theory method. Data were analyzed from interview transcripts from mothers, field notes, postal questionnaires from fathers, and individual and discussion group interviews with child health nurses within a Western Australian context. A common social problem emerged for women in the management of their breastfeeding when personal expectations were found to oppose the expectations of others. Being confronted with these incompatible expectations resulted in confusion, self-doubt, and guilt for mothers. These findings are discussed to assist health professionals support breastfeeding mothers.