Nursing leadership and management in home care: A qualitative scoping review

AIM: The purpose is to identify and synthesize the challenges of first‐line nurse managers in home care concerning their managerial and leadership role, as described in current qualitative research literature. BACKGROUND: Increased responsibilities and shifting tasks in home care lead to challenges for first‐line nurse managers. These challenges must be identified and evaluated to ensure quality care provision. EVALUATION: A scoping review mapped current qualitative research on first‐line nurse managers in home care, focusing on their managerial and leadership role. A systematic search was conducted in CINAHL, Medline, EMBASE, and SweMed+. A thematic analysis was conducted on the four included studies. KEY ISSUE(S): First‐line nurse managers' role in home care involves multiple responsibilities. Four themes emerged: “professional responsibilities,” “relational responsibilities,” “economic and organizational responsibilities,” and “juggling responsibilities—a demanding balance.” CONCLUSION(S): Findings provide new knowledge on how first‐line nurse managers balance responsibilities in their role in the home care context—a complex context different from institutional settings like hospitals and long‐term care. A focus on first‐line nurse managers' support needs is necessary. Furthermore, an extensive research gap concerning first‐line nurse managers' leadership and management role in home care indicates a need to increase knowledge from a range of perspectives. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: To develop sustainable and robust nursing leadership and management in home care, there is a need to (a) clarify first‐line nurse managers' role and set boundaries around their responsibilities and (b) strengthen support from superiors, which will help empower first‐line nurse managers in their daily work.