Supporting patients with venous leg ulcers in self-care monitoring: an interview study with primary health care professionals.

OBJECTIVE: This study described the experiences and perceptions of how primary health care professionals (PHCPs) support patients with venous leg ulcers (VLUs) in self-care monitoring. DESIGN: A qualitative approach with reflexive thematic analysis was used, with 24 individual qualitative open interviews. SETTING: Primary health care clinics and community health care in four southern regions in Sweden. SUBJECTS: Registered nurses, district nurses and nurse assistants who had experience of caring for patients with VLUs. In total, 24 interviews were conducted with PHCPs in Sweden. RESULTS: PHCPs have a vital role in promoting patient independence and responsibility, identifying needs and adapting care strategies, while also recognising unmet needs in patients with VLUs. CONCLUSION: PHCPs actively monitor patients' self-care and establish caring relationships. They see a need for a structured primary health care work routine for ulcer management.

PHCPs described encouraging patients by identifying needs, adapting care and promoting self-care monitoring using various skills and strategies.PHCPs described unmet needs and insufficient care practices for patients with VLUs.PHCPs pointed out the importance of establishing caring relationships in order to involve patients in their VLU treatment.

Delineating and clarifying the concept of self-care monitoring: a concept analysis.

AIM: To delineate and clarify the meaning of the concept of self-care monitoring from a patient perspective. METHODS: A systematic search was performed in the databases ASSIA, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and PubMed (January 2016-September 2021). A selection of 46 peer-reviewed articles was included in the study and analysed using Rodgers' Evolutionary Method for Concept Analysis. RESULTS: The following four attributes were identified: Tracking symptoms, signs, and actions, Paying attention, Being confident, and Needing routines, creating a descriptive definition: "Self-care monitoring is an activity that means a person has to pay attention and be confident and needs routines for tracking symptoms, signs, and action." The antecedents of the concept were shown to be Increased knowledge, Wish for independence, and Commitment. The concepts' consequences were identified as Increased interaction, Perceived burden, and Enhanced well-being. CONCLUSIONS: This concept analysis provides extensive understanding of self-care monitoring from a patient perspective. It was shown that the concept occurs when a person practices self-care monitoring at home either with or without devices. A descriptive definition was constructed and presented with exemplars to encourage practice of the concept in various healthcare settings and could be of relevance to people with chronic illnesses or other long-term conditions.