Home care and the COVID-19 pandemic: Experiences from a nursing perspective

Abstract

Introduction: Home-based care seeks to provide a solution to home health care issues supported by healthcare professionals, practitioners and the participation of the family, whose dynamics in COVID-19 times should be adjusted to this new context. Objective: To understand the significance of the nursing experience providing care in home-based care settings in pandemic times. Materials and Methods: A hermeneutic-phenomenological study was conducted with 15 nurses who work in a home care service provider. In-depth interviews were conducted from which the information was analyzed and classified into categories representing the experiences. Results: The following categories were obtained from the phenomenological analysis: social distancing as a change in daily life, preventing COVID-19 infection is everyone's responsibility and home care challenges for patients and families. Conclusions: Nursing professionals must ensure compliance with biosafety protocols and for the good of themselves, their patients and families, teamwork and continuing education with active listening ensure that home care of patients does not deteriorate in these pandemic times.