J Korean Acad Community Health Nurs.  2020 Jun;31(2):143-155. 10.12799/jkachn.2020.31.2.143.

Difficulties and Coping Experienced by Advanced Practice Nurses in Home Health Nursing Field

• Hwang MS
• Park HY
• Chang SJ

• KMID: 2503616
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.12799/jkachn.2020.31.2.143

Abstract

Purpose
This study aimed to explore the difficulties and coping that advanced practice nurses (APNs) experience in home health nursing field.
Methods
The participants were 12 APNs who had experience in home health nursing for over 5 years. Data were collected through two focus group interviews between August and September, 2017. The results were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis.
Results
Out of 10 sub-categories and 29 codes, 4 categories emerged: “crushed by the responsibilities as the only healthcare professional”, “worn out by family who interfere with work”, “anxiety about my safety being threatened” and “using self-learned know-hows”.
Conclusion
APNs face difficulties due to the environmental characteristics of the homes, the characteristics of chronically critically ill (CCI) patients and their families, and legal or systematical limitations when dealing with problems based on their personal competence. In order to ensure that professional nursing care is more readily provided to CCI patients through home health nursing services in local communities, it is imperative that support systems at the organizational and institutional levels be established in a systematic way to resolve the issues faced by APNs.

Keyword

Home health nursing; Focus groups; Interview; Qualitative research