Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative study

Objective Nurse practitioners (NPs) have recently been introduced in Norwegian homecare services. The NP role is still in an early implementation phase without standardized role descriptions. NPs are dependent on collaborating with general practitioners (GPs) in the care and treatment of patients. H...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lene Apeness Kjær, Mette Tøien, Linn Hege Førsund
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-01-01
Series:Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/02813432.2024.2381064
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849717239415046144
author Lene Apeness Kjær
Mette Tøien
Linn Hege Førsund
author_facet Lene Apeness Kjær
Mette Tøien
Linn Hege Førsund
author_sort Lene Apeness Kjær
collection DOAJ
description Objective Nurse practitioners (NPs) have recently been introduced in Norwegian homecare services. The NP role is still in an early implementation phase without standardized role descriptions. NPs are dependent on collaborating with general practitioners (GPs) in the care and treatment of patients. However, little is known about how NPs in Norway experience this collaboration. This study aims to explore how NPs working in homecare services describe their collaborative experiences with GPs, and what influence this collaboration.Design The study had a qualitative descriptive design, applying individual, semi structured interviews to generate data from five Norwegian nurse practitioners working in homecare services. Data were analyzed using systematic text condensation.Findings The NPs had varied experiences regarding the collaboration with GPs. NPs stated their role as unclear, lacking standards and job descriptions. The NPs experienced that some GPs were uncertain about the NPs competence, which inhibited collaboration and restricted the NPs utilization of their full capability.NPs experienced a higher degree of collaboration with GPs they knew, and they indicated that trust was the key to facilitate collaboration. The NPs also noted the challenges of establishing relationships with GPs due to the lack of formal meetings and the physical separation of their workplaces.Conclusion Interpersonal dynamics, organizational structures and systemic frameworks influenced the collaboration between GPs and NPs in homecare services. Trust was identified as an important prerequisite for collaboration.
format Article
id doaj-art-bf9421e2f63f41ada6ff28e25dd9841c
institution DOAJ
issn 0281-3432
1502-7724
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
record_format Article
series Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
spelling doaj-art-bf9421e2f63f41ada6ff28e25dd9841c2025-08-20T03:12:43ZengTaylor & Francis GroupScandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care0281-34321502-77242025-01-0143131210.1080/02813432.2024.2381064Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative studyLene Apeness Kjær0Mette Tøien1Linn Hege Førsund2University of South-Eastern Norway, Drammen, NorwayUniversity of South-Eastern Norway, Drammen, NorwayUniversity of South-Eastern Norway, Drammen, NorwayObjective Nurse practitioners (NPs) have recently been introduced in Norwegian homecare services. The NP role is still in an early implementation phase without standardized role descriptions. NPs are dependent on collaborating with general practitioners (GPs) in the care and treatment of patients. However, little is known about how NPs in Norway experience this collaboration. This study aims to explore how NPs working in homecare services describe their collaborative experiences with GPs, and what influence this collaboration.Design The study had a qualitative descriptive design, applying individual, semi structured interviews to generate data from five Norwegian nurse practitioners working in homecare services. Data were analyzed using systematic text condensation.Findings The NPs had varied experiences regarding the collaboration with GPs. NPs stated their role as unclear, lacking standards and job descriptions. The NPs experienced that some GPs were uncertain about the NPs competence, which inhibited collaboration and restricted the NPs utilization of their full capability.NPs experienced a higher degree of collaboration with GPs they knew, and they indicated that trust was the key to facilitate collaboration. The NPs also noted the challenges of establishing relationships with GPs due to the lack of formal meetings and the physical separation of their workplaces.Conclusion Interpersonal dynamics, organizational structures and systemic frameworks influenced the collaboration between GPs and NPs in homecare services. Trust was identified as an important prerequisite for collaboration.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/02813432.2024.2381064Nurse practitionergeneral practitionercollaborationtrusthomecare services
spellingShingle Lene Apeness Kjær
Mette Tøien
Linn Hege Førsund
Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative study
Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care
Nurse practitioner
general practitioner
collaboration
trust
homecare services
title Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative study
title_full Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative study
title_fullStr Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative study
title_full_unstemmed Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative study
title_short Exploring nurse practitioners’ collaboration with general practitioners in Norwegian homecare services: a qualitative study
title_sort exploring nurse practitioners collaboration with general practitioners in norwegian homecare services a qualitative study
topic Nurse practitioner
general practitioner
collaboration
trust
homecare services
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/02813432.2024.2381064
work_keys_str_mv AT leneapenesskjær exploringnursepractitionerscollaborationwithgeneralpractitionersinnorwegianhomecareservicesaqualitativestudy
AT mettetøien exploringnursepractitionerscollaborationwithgeneralpractitionersinnorwegianhomecareservicesaqualitativestudy
AT linnhegeførsund exploringnursepractitionerscollaborationwithgeneralpractitionersinnorwegianhomecareservicesaqualitativestudy