Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) at home: prototype high-tech home care nursing

Current economic and demographic trends in the United States indicate the demand for complex treatments, such as infusion therapies at home, will continue to escalate. In light of the increasingly acute and autonomous nature of home health practice, examination of home care nursing process affecting patient care outcomes is crucial. This study explored the cognitive, technical, and interpersonal components included in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) home care nursing. The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychometrically the Schmele Instrument to Measure the Process of Nursing Practice in Home Health (SIMP-H) so that it may be used to examine high-tech home care nursing process. Home visits must be observed to identify the specific cognitive, technical, and interpersonal components included in high-tech home care nursing that are important for patient care outcomes. This study captured high-tech home care nursing process on videotape, which provided a medium for evaluating interobserver reliability for the SIMP-H. Results revealed an interobserver reliability coefficient of .72.