Effects of family nursing conversations on families in home health care: A controlled before‐and‐after study

Abstract

Aim To assess the effects of family nursing conversations on family caregiver burden, patients’ quality of life, family functioning and the amount of professional home health care. Design A controlled before‐and‐after design. Methods Intervention group families participated in two family nursing conversations incorporated in home health care; control group families received usual home health care. Patients and family members completed a set of questionnaires on entering the study and 6 months later to assess family caregiver burden, family functioning and patients’ quality of life. The amount of home health care was extracted from patient files. Data were collected between January 2018–June 2019. Results Data of 51 patients (mean age 80; 47% male) and 61 family members (mean age 67; 38% male) were included in the results. Family caregiver burden remained stable in the intervention group whereas it increased in the control group. Family functioning improved significantly compared with the control group for patients and family members in the intervention group. No significant effects on patients’ quality of life emerged. The amount of professional home health care decreased significantly in the intervention group whereas it remained equal in the control group. Conclusion Family nursing conversations prevented family caregiver burden, improved family functioning, but did not affect patients’ quality of life. In addition, the amount of home health care decreased following the family nursing conversations. Impact Countries with ageing populations seek to reduce professional and residential care and therefore encourage family caregiving. Intensive family caregiving, however, places families at risk for caregiver burden which may lead to increased professional care and admission into residential care. This study demonstrates that family nursing conversations help nurses to prevent family caregiver burden and improve family functioning while decreasing the amount of home health care.

The State of the Evidence about the Family and Community Nurse: A Systematic Review

“…Twenty-one articles, four of which were randomised controlled studies [ 20 , 61 , 74 , 76 , 103 ], emphasised the positive influence of FCNs on patient-, nurses-, and health system-related outcomes. Regarding patient-related outcomes, we found that the intervention or care delivered by FCNs significantly increased survival [ 42 , 76 , 103 ], improved quality of life and clinical outcomes [ 38 , 104 , 105 ], and reduced the re-hospitalisation rate [ 42 , 103 ]. Furthermore, Ippoliti and Falavigna demonstrated, through socioeconomic planning, how the FCN’s intervention can determine positive patient-related outcomes, such as those involving hip fractures [ 101 , 106 ].…”

Family systems nursing conversations: influences on families with stroke

“…brain disease, heart disease, cancer, and psychiatric diseases) experienced mostly positive outcomes from FSNCs in the cognitive, affective, and behavioural domains of family functioning [ 17 ]. Since the review, additional studies have shown promising results regarding FSNCs for family well-being, including for example from Sweden [ 11 , 18 – 21 ], the Netherlands [ 22 ], Taiwan [ 23 ], Iceland [ 24 ], Denmark [ 25 ], Thailand [ 26 ], and Canada [ 27 ]. All these studies have contributed to clinical evidence indicating that FSNCs outperform conventional care in providing social support [ 25 ], reducing the burden on family caregivers, and improving family functioning [ 22 ].…”

“…Since the review, additional studies have shown promising results regarding FSNCs for family well-being, including for example from Sweden [ 11 , 18 – 21 ], the Netherlands [ 22 ], Taiwan [ 23 ], Iceland [ 24 ], Denmark [ 25 ], Thailand [ 26 ], and Canada [ 27 ]. All these studies have contributed to clinical evidence indicating that FSNCs outperform conventional care in providing social support [ 25 ], reducing the burden on family caregivers, and improving family functioning [ 22 ]. In addition, FSNCs can improve the emotional and cognitive support of family caregivers [ 28 ].…”

“…However, research on the long-term outcomes of FSNCs [ 22 , 25 ] is limited, especially concerning families of those who have suffered a stroke [ 11 ]. The purpose of our study was, therefore, to illuminate family members’ experiences within their family situations 6 months after participating in FSNCs when a family member under 65 years of age had suffered a stroke.…”

Family health nursing: A Recent Review

“…Countries with ageing populations seek to reduce professional and residential care and therefore encourage family caregiving. Intensive family caregiving, however, places families at risk for caregiver burden which may lead to increased professional care and admission into residential care (Broekema et al, 2021).…”