Why the study?
Children with medical complexity have intense care demands, dependence on medical technology, and rely on homecare nursing, requiring an understanding of home care nurses' experiences to optimize their workplace and improve care.
Understanding homecare nurses' perspectives highlights both the rewarding nature and the challenges of caring for children with medical complexity, informing needed support.
May guide support initiatives for homecare nurses; leaves open effects on care quality and retention.
Objectives: Children with medical complexity (CMC) have intense care demands, dependence on medical technology, and rely on homecare nursing. This study aimed to understand home care nurses' (HCN) experiences caring for CMCs to optimize their home-based place of employment, improve HCN-patient relationships to enhance care and promote CMCs to remain at home with their families safely. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 HCNs caring for CMC using medical technology. Interviews were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Two themes emerged: the unique experiences of a homecare nurse and interactions with patients and their families. Interviews revealed the role is rewarding, and HCNs developed meaningful connections with patients and their families. However, HCNs experienced several challenges in providing quality care. Conclusions: Understanding HCN's perspectives is critical to improving their experience in the role and enhancing care for their patients. These findings can inform the implementation of support needed to optimize the work experience for HCNs.
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Mekhuri et al. (2025) studied this question.
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