Sjuksköterskans ledarskap i det patientnära vårdandet av äldre personer i kommunens hemsjukvård : Att leda i ett mellanrum av närhet och distans

Sammanfattning: Aim: The overall aim is to develop knowledge about the phenomenon of leading care close to the patient in community home care from the perspectives of older persons (aged 65 years and older), next of kin and registered nurses. Methods: A qualitative, descriptive and interpretative approach guided the methodology of this dissertation. The first study was a systematic literature review with the following research question: What implies registered nurses’ leadership close to older persons in community home care? The review was documented in accordance with the PRISMA reporting guidelines. Nine articles, all with a qualitative research approach, met the quality criteria, and a qualitative research synthesis of the data was performed in four stages. Studies II–III were interview studies consisting of individual interviews with 12 older persons in their own homes (Study II) and telephone interviews with 11 next of kin (Study III), focusing on their experiences of registered nurses’ leadership of the care close to older persons in community home care. The data material in Studies II–III was analysed using qualitative content analysis. Study IV was based on the reflective lifeworld research method, comprising individual interviews with nine registered nurses working in community home care. The data material was analysed with a lifeworld hermeneutic approach. Main Findings: Leading care close to the patient in community home care was found to consist of an ethical demand that came with the responsibility for leading those involved in the care – in a space between closeness and distance. From a caring science perspective, leading care in a space between closeness and distance can be understood as leading between health and illness, between biology and existence and being aware of the older person’s autonomy and integrity, allowing the other to trustingly surrender to care. Leading care can then mean maintaining an ethical approach in the meeting with the patient to safeguard dignified care for older persons in need of home care. Conclusions: The knowledge gained from these studies can help us better understand the prerequisites for leading the care of patients in community home care and contribute to improving the care for patients who are in an existentially vulnerable life situation.