District nurses' conceptions of medical technology in palliative homecare

The aim of this study was to describe district nurses' conceptions of medical technology in palliative homecare.

Medical technology has, in recent years, been widely used in palliative homecare. Personnel with varying degrees of training and knowledge must be able to handle the new technology.

A descriptive design with a phenomenographic approach was chosen to describe qualitatively different conceptions of the phenomenon medical technology. Interviews with 16 district nurses working with palliative homecare were analysed and five descriptive categories emerged.

Medical technology in palliative homecare led to vulnerability because of increasing demands and changing tasks. When medical technology was used in the home it demanded collaboration between all involved actors. It also demanded self-reliance and an awareness of managing medical technology in a patient-safe way. Medical technology provided freedom for the palliative patients.

To maintain patient safety, more education and collaboration with palliative care teams is needed. Next-of-kin are considered as an important resource but their participation must be based on their own conditions.

District nurses need regular training on medical devices, must be more specialized in this kind of care and must not fragment their working time within other specialities.