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Aims and Objectives: To explore the experiences of using an app among older people with home-based health care and their nurses., Background: Few information and communication technology innovations have been developed and tested for older people with chronic conditions living at home with home-based health care support. Innovative ways to support older people's health and self-care are needed., Design: Explorative qualitative design., Methods: For 3 months to report health concerns, older people receiving home-based health care used an interactive app, which included direct access to self-care advice, graphs and a risk assessment model that sends alerts to nurses for rapid management. Interviews with older people (n = 17) and focus group discussions with home care nurses (n = 12) were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis., Results: The findings reveal that a process occurs. Using the app, the older people participated in their care, and the app enabled learning and a new way of communication. The interaction gave a sense of security and increased self-confidence among older people. The home care nurses viewed the alerts as appropriate for the management of health concerns. However, all participants experienced challenges in using new technology and had suggestions for improvement., Conclusions: The use of an app appears to increase the older people's participation in their health care and offers them an opportunity to be an active partner in their care. The app as a new way to interact with home care nurses increased the feeling of security. The older people were motivated to learn to use the app and described potential use for it in the future., Implications for Practice: The use of an app should be considered as a useful information and communication technology innovation that can improve communication and accessibility for older people with home-based health care., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Pregnant women are often faced with having to decide about prenatal screening for Down's syndrome. However, the decision to participate in or refrain from prenatal screening can be seen as an important decision not only for the pregnant woman but also for both the partners., Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the couples' processes of decision making about prenatal screening., Methods: A total of 37 semi-structured interviews conducted at two time points were analysed using the interpretive description., Setting: The study was carried out in Maternal health-care centres, Örebro County Council, Sweden., Participants: Fifteen couples of different ages and with different experiences of pregnancy and childbirth were interviewed., Results: Three different patterns of decision making were identified. For the couples in 'The open and communicative decision-making process', the process was straightforward and rational, and the couples discussed the decision with each other. 'The closed and personal decision-making process' showed an immediate and non-communicative decision making where the couples decided each for themselves. The couples showing 'The searching and communicative decision-making process' followed an arduous road in deciding whether to participate or not in prenatal screening and how to cope with the result., Conclusions: The decision-making process was for some couples a fairly straightforward decision, while for others it was a more complex process that required a great deal of consideration., (© 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: In previous literature, it has been recognised that the extent to which different healthcare professionals collaborate may affect both the quality and safety of care, and patient outcomes. Collaboration appears to be an essential part of professional practice, yet there is a lack of knowledge and understanding of collaboration in the context of short-term care units. Therefore, this study was undertaken to better understand how professionals in this context view collaboration., Aim: To describe collaboration in rehabilitation from the perspective of healthcare professionals., Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with ten healthcare professionals, including: occupational therapists, physiotherapists and nurses, who worked in three different short-term care settings. The interviews were transcribed, and qualitative content analysis was used., Findings: Four categories, all of which included both positive and negative descriptions of collaboration, were identified: (i) Crossing professional and organisational boundaries (ii) Awareness of own professional identity (iii) Information and knowledge transfer and (iv) Balancing between patient, system and process., Conclusions: The findings indicate the importance of leadership and organisational structures for stimulating communication, and promoting collaboration between team members. In addition, working as a professional in short-term care requires individual skills in collaboration efforts, including awareness of one's own professional identity., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Opportunities for supervision could be one way to increase individuals' awareness of their own role in the team., (© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)