Professional support for next of kin of patients receiving chronic haemodialysis treatment: a content analysis study of nursing documentation

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the content of nursing documentation with a focus on professional support for next of kin (NoK) of patients receiving chronic haemodialysis treatment. Professional support in nursing focuses on promotion, maintenance and restoration of health and prevention of illness. The study had a descriptive design and qualitative content analysis was used to search for themes based on descriptions contained in the collected nursing documentation. The total number of nursing records of patients receiving chronic haemodialysis treatment (n = 50) for the 5-year period 1998-2002 was included. All nursing documentation was systematic in accordance with the VIPS-documentation model. The professional support could be described within the framework of three themes: to explore NoK's supportive resources, to enable NoK' readiness in caring for the patient and to co-operate with NoK in the care of the patient in the home, captured by the core theme which described the professional support as a continuous process. Next of kin are a supportive resource in the nursing care of patients receiving chronic haemodialysis treatment and professional support for NoK focuses on planning their participation in the care of patients in the home. Professional support for NoK should be documented in family focused nursing diagnoses, which would make it possible to search for different types of support. Future research might explore nurses' or NoK's views on carer support.