Qualitative study reveals dual professional roles and emotional strain in home care nurses supporting family caregivers, highlighting the need for structured emotional boundary support.
As many patients prefer to die at home, nurses play a key role in supporting family caregivers and coordinating end-of-life care. This study explored nurses’ experiences of supporting family caregivers in home-based end-of-life care. Nine home care nurses were individually interviewed. Data were analyzed using a phenomenological–hermeneutic approach and reported according to COREQ. Three themes were identified and interpreted through the analysis: Guest and Professional Caregiver in the Home , Identifying Family Caregivers’ Needs Through Dialogue and Attunement , and Navigating Emotional Burden in End-of-Life Care . Nurses in home-based end-of-life care navigate a dual role as both guest and professional caregiver, fostering close relationships with patients and families that provide meaning but also involve significant emotional boundary work and risk of strain.
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Kløvning et al. (2026) studied this question.
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