Introduction: Lower limb amputation is one of the main causes of disability, primarily due to vascular problems, and represents more than 80% of cases. Loss of autonomy leads to permanent disability and requires caregivers to provide help. Before a patient's discharge, it is essential to assess and improve the needs and skills of caregivers. Objective: To explore nurses' perspectives on empowering family caregivers of a person with major lower limb amputation of vascular etiology upon returning home. Methods: This exploratory, cross-sectional, descriptive study used a qualitative approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 nurses from a hospital in Northern Portugal. Content analysis was performed using the ATLAS. ti software and Bardin's methodology. Results: The interviews revealed four main categories: (i) amputee needs/difficulties, (ii) family caregiver needs/difficulties, (iii) transitioning home, and (iv) strategies to promote family caregiver empowerment. The results underline the need to improve discharge planning and the empowerment of family caregivers. Conclusion: The experiences and perspectives of nurses in empowering family caregivers can contribute to the development of programs that support family caregivers of individuals with major lower limb amputation returning home.
Rodrigues et al. (Mon,) studied this question.