Creating a sense of security in palliative home care: Interviews with public health nurses

Background: Security is a human need and the home can offer a form of security, while it can be reduced closer to end-of-life. Many patients are cared for at theend-of-life stage in their homes, and the number is expected to increase. The public health nurse works to promote good and safe palliative home care. Aim: The study’s aim is to describe how public health nurses can create a sense of security for adult patients in palliative home care. Method: Eight public health nurses working in municipal home care were interviewed in the year 2016 in Sweden. Content analysis was used. Results: The content analysis resulted in five main categories: patient and relatives, communication, staff, nursing planning and organisation. The results showed thatthe public health nurses created a relationship with patients and relatives through communication and continuity. Moreover, they were available and worked in a teamtowards common goals. The public health nurses’ qualifications, confidence in their professional role, and experience of how care should be organised could create asense of security for the patient and relatives. Conclusions: The conclusion is that to understand the patient’s life-world requires time and competence development in palliative care. Cooperation betweenmunicipal and county councils should be improved to create a sense of security in palliative home care