Abstract
BackgroundNext of kin to older adults over 65 years in municipal home care are concerned whether their older adults’ needs are being met. In municipal home care, the registered nurses’ leadership is important and complex, entailing multi-artist skills involving the older adults and their next of kin. Yet, little is known about next of kin’s experiences of registered nurses’ leadership. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore next of kin’s experiences of registered nurses’ leadership close to older adults in municipal home care.MethodsIndividual telephone interviews were conducted with next of kin (n = 11) of older adults from April to September 2020 in two municipalities in western Sweden. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe results are presented with the theme, registered nurses do what they can, including two categories, interaction and competence, and the subcategories, relationship, communication, availability, responsibility, team leadership and cooperation. Registered nurses’ leadership was experienced as a balancing act between their commitments and what they were able to achieve.ConclusionsNext of kin’s experiences of registered nurses’ leadership can contribute knowledge that will strengthen and prepare registered nurses for their leadership roles. This knowledge can support the development of policies for organisational preconditions that ensure quality and safe care to older adults in municipal home care.
Highlights
Of kin to older adults over 65 years in municipal home care are concerned whether their older adults’ needs are being met
Registered nurses do what they can The of kin to older adults in municipal home care experienced that the RNs managed their leadership in the best way considering their circumstances
This study contributes to important knowledge on the experiences of of kin regarding RN leadership
Summary
Of kin to older adults over 65 years in municipal home care are concerned whether their older adults’ needs are being met. Being the of kin to older adults in need of municipal home care often entails concern regarding whether their older adults’ needs are being met and whether the healthcare providers are being respectful towards their loved ones [1]. Of kin wish to be included in the healthcare teams surrounding their older Close involvement in their older adults’ municipal home care [1] can be a heavy burden on the of kin’s lives, giving rise to contradictory emotions and implicit requirements both from the older adults and society [4]. Of kin do not always know the difference between registered nurses’ (RNs’) responsibilities for home care and the responsibility of the professionals regarding social services. These ambiguities in who is responsible for what can contribute to of kin not knowing to whom to turn when problems arise [3, 9]
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