The Sense of Difficulty Held by Visiting Nurses

Abstract

　　The aim of this study was to elucidate the difficulties experienced in home-visit nursing care from the viewpoint of work characteristics and to examine preventive methods and countermeasures. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 13 visiting nurses. Types of difficulties were selected from the interview data and qualitative analysis was performed. These were classified into 19 subcategories and 7 categories based on the total 122 responses obtained. The types of difficulties experienced in home-visit nursing care were categorized as follows. Difficulties related to visiting patients alone included (1) difficulties due to visiting patients alone and (2) anxiety and difficulties due to a lack of knowledge of the techniques necessary for home-visit nursing care. Difficulties due to the working environment included (3) difficulties caused by work systems in the workplace, (5) difficulties in collaborating with doctors, and (6) difficulties resulting from interpersonal relationships at work. Difficulties considered due to a change in the individual’s age and physical condition included (4) difficulties from excessive physical demands and (7) difficulties in managing both work and household responsibilities. Therefore, countermeasures for difficulties experienced in home-visit nursing care must be examined from the perspective of work characteristics, work environment, and work/life balance.