title: Registered Nurses' Perceptions about the Situation of Family Caregivers to Patients with Heart Failure - A Focus Group Interview Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart failure is a growing public health problem associated with poor quality of life and significant morbidity and mortality. The majority of heart failure care is provided by family caregivers, and is associated with caregiver burden and reduced quality of life. Research emphasizes that future nursing interventions should recognize the importance of involving family caregivers to achieve optimal outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study are to explore registered nurses' perceptions about the situation of family caregivers to patients with heart failure, and registered nurses' interventions, in order to improve family caregivers' situation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study has a qualitative design with an inductive approach. Six focus group interviews were held with 23 registered nurses in three hospitals and three primary health care centres. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two content areas were identified by the a priori study aims. Four categories and nine sub-categories emerged in the analysis process. The content area "Family caregivers' situation" includes two categories: "To be unburdened" and "To comprehend the heart failure condition and its consequences". The content area "Interventions to improve family caregivers' situation" includes two categories: "Individualized support and information" and "Bridging contact".
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Registered nurses perceive family caregivers' situation as burdensome, characterized by worry and uncertainty. In the PHCCs, the continuity and security of an RN as a permanent health care contact was considered an important and sustainable intervention to better care for family caregivers' worry and uncertainty. In the nurse-led heart failure clinics in hospitals, registered nurses can provide family caregivers with the opportunity of involvement in their relative's health care and address congruence and relationship quality within the family through the use of "Shared care" and or Family-centred care. Registered nurses consider it necessary to have a coordinated individual care plan as a basis for collaboration between the county council and the municipality.
authors: School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
authors: Annelie K
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6448-5866
authors: AK
authors: Gusdal
authors: School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.|Faculty of Caring Science, Work Life and Social Welfare, University of Borås, Borås, Sweden.
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Josefsson
authors: Centre for Clinical Research, Uppsala University, County Council of Västmanland, Västerås, Sweden.|Department of Primary Health Care, Västmanland County Hospital, Västerås, Sweden.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Thors Adolfsson
authors: School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.|School of Health Sciences, City University, London, United Kingdom.
authors: Lene
authors: L
authors: Martin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011788:Quality of Life