Benefits of video home training on families' health and interaction: Evaluation based on follow-up visits

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study is to describe the benefits of video home training on families' health and interaction from the perspective of parents six months after the training. Background: There is hardly any empirical knowledge of how a resource-enhancing approach could be used in nursing practice and how nursing in a home context affects the families' health outcomes and interaction. Design: The study was designed as a descriptive qualitative service evaluation. Methods: Fifteen families with 66 family members participated in the study. The study material consisted of videotapes recorded at homes and family service plans produced during the process of the video home training. The data were analysed by qualitative content analysis and by the method of analysing photographs and videotapes. Results: Video home training was found to bring about many positive effects on families' health and interaction. The families had reached their goals related to parenthood, relationship between the partners, childcare skills and child-rearing skills.Conclusion. The entire family benefited from the video home training. Video home training can be recommended in providing families with early support and anticipating and preventing family problems. Relevance to clinical practice: Video home training is applicable to family nursing owing to the concrete and interactive nature of the method. It supports the realisation of family centredness and family orientation. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.