Sammanfattning
Background: Increasingly older people living at home are in
need of treatment with medications. This places high demands
on expertise and adequate procedures among nurses in home
healthcare. When patients have several diagnoses, many medications
and cognitive impairment, it creates challenges for the
administration of drugs. The aim of this study is to shed light on
nurses’ experiences in handling medications to older patients
living at home.
Method: This study is informed by a hermeneutic approach and
the data collection was based on semi-structured interviews
with open-ended questions. Participants were recruited from
three home healthcare districts in Norway.
Findings: The findings show that nurses experienced to have a
considerable responsibility for patients’ use of medications. They
called for increased competence and better work procedures
within home healthcare. Collaboration with other health personnel
and time pressures was also particularly challenging while
helping older people requiring assistance with their medication.
Conclusion: Despite the nurses’ perception of working in the
home healthcare as important and meaningful, the responsibility
for managing the medication to older people was at times too
heavy. This situation appears to be related to time constraints
and a work culture with limited focus on the development of
work routines and competence.