Sammanfattning
The home care nurse in the meeting of the depressed patient
Background: The home care nurse has a unique ability to identify patients with depressive
symptoms, often referred to as bad mood. Depressive symptoms may coincide with other disorders
or aging and are therefore difficult to identify.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine how home care nurses describe the patient who
has some depressive symptoms, and what efforts they perform.
Method: The study is a qualitative descriptive design. Ten interviews were conducted with home care
nurses in an urban area. The data were analyzed using descriptive thematic method.
Result: The home care nurse identifies patients with depressive symptoms by looking for changes in
the patient›s usual patterns. Knowing the patient is essential to explore the change and distinguish it
from other conditions. When home care nurse meets these patients, she often initiates «the extra
mile» effort. It may be conversations about everyday topics or exploration of patient`s concerns. Due
to the lack of continuity in the work, the home care nurse has limited opportunity to follow up the
efforts.
Conclusion: The home care nurse described changes in the patient›s usual pattern as characteristic
of the depressed patient. Additional efforts perform the home care by pushing tasks at the current
work list. The conversation has a significant role in these additional efforts. Home care nurses are in
a cross-pressure between the patient on the one hand and organizational requirements on the other