Introduction\nHeart failure is a growing public health problem associated with poor quality of life and significant\nmorbidity and mortality. The majority of heart failure care is provided by family caregivers,\nand is associated with caregiver burden and reduced quality of life. Research\nemphasizes that future nursing interventions should recognize the importance of involving\nfamily caregivers to achieve optimal outcomes.\nAims\nThe aims of this study are to explore registered nursesââ?¬â?¢ perceptions about the situation of\nfamily caregivers to patients with heart failure, and registered nursesââ?¬â?¢ interventions, in order\nto improve family caregiversââ?¬â?¢ situation.\nMethods\nThe study has a qualitative design with an inductive approach. Six focus group interviews\nwere held with 23 registered nurses in three hospitals and three primary health care centres.\nData were analysed using qualitative content analysis.\nResults\nTwo content areas were identified by the a priori study aims. Four categories and nine subcategories\nemerged in the analysis process. The content area ââ?¬Å?Family caregivers' situationââ?¬Â\nincludes two categories: ââ?¬Å?To be unburdenedââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?To comprehend the heart failure condition\nand its consequencesââ?¬Â. The content area ââ?¬Å?Interventions to improve family caregivers'\nsituationââ?¬Â includes two categories: ââ?¬Å?Individualized support and informationââ?¬Â and ââ?¬Å?Bridging\ncontactââ?¬Â. Conclusions\nRegistered nurses perceive family caregivers' situation as burdensome, characterized by\nworry and uncertainty. In the PHCCs, the continuity and security of an RN as a permanent\nhealth care contact was considered an important and sustainable intervention to better care\nfor family caregivers' worry and uncertainty. In the nurse-led heart failure clinics in hospitals,\nregistered nurses can provide family caregivers with the opportunity of involvement in their\nrelative's health care and address congruence and relationship quality within the family\nthrough the use of \"Shared care\" and or Family-centred care. Registered nurses consider it\nnecessary to have a coordinated individual care plan as a basis for collaboration between\nthe county council and the municipality.
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