Framing personal risk in public health nursing

The purpose of this qualitative study was to conduct a thematic analysis of unanalyzed semistructured interview segments from data that emerged during an earlier exploratory descriptive study on organizational factors and wor k hazards. The sample consisted of 56 transcribed interviews with staff and managerial public health nurses (PHNs) in five health units Of the Provinc e of Alberta before health care restructuring. The framework that resulted from this secondary analysis describes the ideologies (values, beliefs, con cepts, and attitudes) of female PHNs related to their workplace environment al risks. Four categories of the overarching theme, framing personal risk i n work environments, emerged: becoming aware, recognizing influences, compa ring with others, and knowing rights and freedoms. Two subthemes also emerg ed: framing for no action and framing for action. When framing for no actio n, PHNs were either unconcerned or wanted to avoid trouble. When framing fo r action, PHNs found humor took responsibility, used voice, collected suppo rt, and struggled for action.