Nurses' experience of managing adults living with multimorbidity : A qualitative study

Background
The number of adults living with two or more chronic conditions is increasing worldwide. Adults living with multimorbidity have complex physical, psychosocial and self-management care needs.

Aim
This study aimed to describe Australian nurses' experience of care provision for adults living with multimorbidity, their perceived education needs and future opportunities for nurses in the management of multimorbidity.

Design
Qualitative exploratory.

Methods
Nurses providing care to adults living with multimorbidity in any setting were invited to take part in a semi-structured interview in August 2020. Twenty-four registered nurses took part in a semi-structured telephone interview.

Results
Three main themes were developed: (1) The care of adults living with multimorbidity requires skilled collaborative and holistic care; (2) nurses' practice in multimorbidity care is evolving; and (3) nurses value education and training in multimorbidity care.

Conclusion
Nurses recognize the challenge and the need for change in the system to support them to respond to the increasing demands they face.

Impact
The complexity and prevalence of multimorbidity creates challenges for a healthcare system configured to treat individual disease. Nurses are key in providing care for this population, but little is known about nurses' experiences and perceptions of their role. Nurses believe a person-centred approach is important to address the complex needs of adults living with multimorbidity. Nurses described their role as evolving in response to the growing demand for quality care and believed inter-professional approaches achieve the best outcomes for adults living with multimorbidity. The research has relevance for all healthcare providers seeking to provide effective care for adults living with multimorbidity. Understanding how best to equip and support the workforce to meet the issues and demands of managing the care of adults living with multimorbidity has the potential to improve patient outcomes.

Patient or Public Contribution
There was no patient or public contribution. The study only concerned the providers of the service.

© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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