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In selective coding, the categories were saturated (until no new information was generated by new data) with either new transcribed interviews or recoding of previously analyzed data. A core category was finally identified, which described a psycho-social process. This core category was central to the data and could be related to all categories and subcategories.According to Norwegian regulations, the study plan was submitted to the Regional Research Ethical Committee for approval, but the committee concluded that it was not necessary for ethical approval. The Data Inspectorate approved the procedure of collecting data, and the data were deleted 2 years after approval in ac-cordance with the regulations. Consent from the par-ticipants was obtained by voluntary participation in the interview. Oral information was given before each inter-view. Confidentiality was promised, as was safety fromS76 AANA Journal n August 2012 n Vol. 80, No. 4 n Special Research Edition www.aana.com/aanajournalonlineindividual consequences of participating (by ensuring that there would be no identifying or recognizable quota-tions or information used).ResultsThe analysis of the interviews yielded 1 core category, 3 categories, and a number of subcategories. The core category was formulated as Collaboration for better or worse—the fate of the nurse anesthetist in the workplace. It describes on one hand the dependent role of the nurse anesthetist due to his or her subordinate position and on the other hand the good feeling of collaborating in a team to improve patient care.The first of the 3 categories, Management as organizer of conditions, indicates the opportunity for managers to create a healthy and supportive work environment, from both a collaborative and a health-promoting view. The second category, Well-being in an operating theater, includes all the factors that facilitate collaboration but also those that are barriers to collaboration. The third category, Clarity of role, describes the possibilities and restrictions in the nurse anesthetist role, and their influ-ence on collaboration. These categories are related to 8 subcategories shown in the -.• Collaboration for Better or Worse. The core catego-ry, Collaboration for better or worse—the fate of the nurse anesthetist in the workplace, describes the nurse anesthe-tist profession as a complex and important function in the operating room, highlights the vulnerability of the profession as well as the role that the nurse anesthetist has in relation to other professions, and describes the most important part of the work environment.Collaboration was described as both good and bad. Good collaboration was the most common situation, and it made the work pleasant and challenging. Bad col-laboration was when the nurse anesthetists believed that they were not respected, when they were not able to use their competence, or when they felt a lack of trust.