Nurses’ Perspectives on Children and Adolescents Psychiatric Home-Visit Nursing Practice: Interviews with Visiting Psychiatric Nurses

Abstract

Aims: To clarify nurses’ perspectives on their practice in child and adolescent psychiatric home health care.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with seven nurses experienced in child and adolescent psychiatric home care. We then created verbatim transcripts from the recorded data. We qualitatively and inductively analyzed their perspectives on child and adolescent psychiatric home care nursing practice.

Results: Seven categories and 19 subcategories were extracted. The categories comprised [Meaning of behavioral disorders caused by difficulties in living], [School life situation and employment activities based on the children’s characteristics] [Parenting for children’s lifestyle acquisition and growth and development] [Building a relationship in which the children can accept the visiting nurse] [Attitude of closely monitoring the parents’ life difficulties] [Building a bridge between the children and parents’ thoughts and feelings] and [Status of symptom management at home].

Conclusion: The nursing practice of the child and adolescent psychiatric visiting nurses emphasized, a positive acceptance of the child’s characteristics, aiming for a fulfilling life together with the child with hopes and goals, and intervening in the parents’ difficulties in life. It is also important to focus on promoting the child’s normal growth and development and social adjustment as well as continuing appropriate treatment.