Encountering patients in their homes: A qualitative study of home care nurses’ experiences

Many ill people want to be cared for at home, and home care nurses face an infinite number of encounters when providing that service. Despite the rising prominence of home care organizations worldwide, little research has been conducted on the encounters between home care nurses and patients and how encounters influence the nursing care provided. The aim of the present study was to describe home care nurses’ experiences of encounters with patients in their homes. In total, 11 home care nurses were selected through purposive sampling. The data consisted of individual interviews, which were analyzed through qualitative content analysis, and reported using COREQ reporting guidelines. The results were based on two categories describing the importance of adapting to each patient's needs and collaborating with the person being cared for. Implementing the findings could enable nurses to care for the patients without reducing them to recipients of objectified care.