Need for Preparedness: Nurses' Experiences of Competence in Home Health Care

Home health care faces challenges that could affect job satisfaction and quality of care. The aim of the study was to describe nurses' experiences of competence in home health care. The study sample comprised of interviews with six nurses and was analyzed using manifest qualitative content analysis. The category "Being prepared" and subcategories "Importance of leadership strategies," "Training promotes safety and independence," and "Co-operation for professional development" were identified. Organizing and planning continuous learning activities at a managerial level, such as collaborations with a focus on supervision and sense of coherence (SOC) training, could develop patient safety within home health care. The results demonstrate that professionally competent nurses working in home health care environments contribute to safe working practices to meet quality care outcomes.