A synthesis of qualitative home visiting research

Over the past decade, a body of qualitative research has been developed which describes the home visiting practice of public health nurses (PHNs) to maternal-child clients. This article reports a synthesis of these studies. The purpose of the synthesis was to identify common elements and differences between the research reports that would lead to theory development or support of existing theories. Methods were based on Miles and Huberman's (1994) text on qualitative data analysis. Results of the synthesis indicated that building and preserving relationships with the client is the central focus of home visiting and provides a foundation for problem identification and problem solving. Clients control access to their homes as well as the information they are willing to share with the nurse. The goals of home visiting relate to empowering mothers, supporting their independence and decision making. Similarities to Peplau's theory of Interpersonal Relations and Cox's Interaction Model of Client Health Behavior (IMCHB) are noted.