Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore how nursing practices reflect the intentions and actions of public health nurses, in order to clarify the characteristics of home health nursing appropriate for patients with disabilities or spinocerebellar degeneration. This study examines three cases of home health nursing as practiced by three public health nurses. The three nurses were contacted and interviewed about their "intentions" and "actions" in their home health nursing. The public health nurses involved in this study were selected for their ability to aptly describe their home health nursing practices in their own words. In total, 233 of their "intentions" as well as 942 of their "actions" as regarding their home health nursing for patients with disabilities or spinocerebellar degeneration were recorded. These intentions and actions were critically reviewed, and relevant data was extracted. Public health nurses aim to : (1) establish and maintain relationships with care receivers, (2) consider the views of the particular family and community, (3) sustain the desired lifestyle of the care receivers, (4) respect and promote the ability of family members to help themselves, (5) consider the means of establishing support systems, (6) help patients to view themselves and their life experience positively. Public health nurses caring for patients with disabilities or spinocerebellar degeneration exert themselves to : (1) always consider risks in daily life, any indication of the relapse of a disease, complications of illnesses, (2) maintain contact with care receivers at any and all necessary times, (3) consider the policies of multidisciplinary professional health care providers in order to ascertain the appropriateness and effectiveness of the aims and methods of their own nursing.
