[Expectations and satisfaction of patients in home care--a qualitative study]

The purpose of this study was to illuminate the following questions, What do the district nurses think about the expectations of the patients during a home-visit? Which are the expectations of the patients concerning the home-visit done by a district nurse? The district nurses in a primary health care-centre and the patients that received home nursing in the primary health care district constituted the population. Ten nurses and twenty patients participated in the study. The method was qualitative with a hermeneutical approach. The tape-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim to constitute the empirical material for analysis and interpretation. The theoretical starting point was the concept of patient satisfaction. In the analysis and interpretation the following dimensions appeared; knowledge--professionalism, art of care--patient-district nurse relationship, participation and responsibility, continuity and availability. The result shows that the patients' expectations of the district nurses were extensively met and that they were satisfied with the home nursing care. The patients expected to meet a skilled district nurse who was kind, able to listen and reassuring. The district nurses think that the patients expect to meet a skilled person whose judgements are correct, who listens, shows respect and keeps her appointments.