Maintaining Professional Nursing Boundaries in the Pediatric Home Care Setting

Pediatric home care nurses often become a valuable part of the family unit, and this can blur the professional boundary between nurse and patient. Home care professionals must educate themselves as well as patients and family members about the integrity of their professional relationship, and prevent boundary crossing before it occurs. This article highlights four case studies that describe situations of boundary crossing that could have been managed differently. Strategies for maintaining professional boundaries with patients and their families are provided.