Bakgrund: Informationsöverföring från slutenvården är viktigt för att kunna säkerställa patientsäkerheten i kommunal hälso- och sjukvård. Det används olika journalsystem i regionen och i kommunerna och därför är det av stor vikt att informationsöverföringen dem emellan fungerar optimalt för att distriktssköterskan ska få fullständig rapport om patienten när denne skrivs ut från slutenvården. Syftet var att belysa distriktssköterskans erfarenhet av informationsöverföring vid utskrivning av vuxen patient från slutenvård till kommunal hälso- och sjukvård. Metod: Kvalitativ metod med induktiv ansats. 12 semistrukturerade intervjuer med distriktssköterskor i kommunal hälso- och sjukvård genomfördes. Data analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys (Graneheim & Lundman). Resultat: Resultatet mynnade ut i tre kategorier; Vikten av att följa överenskomna rutiner, Samverkan och Patientsäkerhet. Det framkom att rapportering via befintliga system måste fungera och att framförhållning är viktigt. Samverkan mellan de olika verksamheterna var en nyckelfaktor och när patienter krävde mer avancerade insatser efter utskrivning var det viktigt med samordnad individuell planering. Olika modeller för utskrivning förekom, vilket upplevdes både positivt och negativt. Patientsäkerheten riskerades när kommunikationen mellan verksamheterna var bristfällig. Slutsats: Det finns flera brister i informationsöverföringen mellan verksamheter idag där patientsäkerheten äventyras. Resultatet i studien skulle kunna vara aktuell för vidare forskning inom ämnet, där förbättring kring informationsöverföringen skulle behöva ses över. Utbildning till personalen i digitala kommunikationshjälpmedel skulle gynna informationsöverföringen liksom att ge tid för patientansvarig sjuksköterska inom slutenvården att kunna ge en fullständig och patientsäker utskrivning. / Background: Information transfer from inpatient care is important to be able to ensure patient safety in municipal health care. Different record systems are used in the region and in the municipalities, therefore it is of great importance that the information transfer between them works optimally for the district nurse to receive a complete report on the patient when he is discharged from inpatient care. The purpose was to highlight the district nurse's experience of information transfer when discharging an adult patient from inpatient care to municipal health care. Method: Qualitative method with an inductive approach. 12 semi-structured interviews with district nurses in municipal health care were conducted. Data were analyzed with qualitative content analysis (Graneheim & Lundman). Results: The results resulted in three categories; The importance of following agreed procedures, Collaboration and Patient Safety. It emerged that reporting via existing systems must work and that foresight is important. Collaboration between the different operations was a key factor and when patients required more advanced interventions after discharge, coordinated individual planning was important. Different models for discharge occurred, which were perceived both positively and negatively. Patient safety was put at risk when communication between the operations was deficient. Conclusion: There are several shortcomings in the transfer of information between businesses today where patient safety is compromised. The results of the study could be relevant for further research in the subject, where improvement in the information transfer would need to be reviewed. Training the staff in digital communication aids would benefit the transfer of information as well as giving time for the inpatient nurse responsible for the patient to be able to provide a complete and patient-safe discharge.

Several issues have impacted on district nursing practice and education within the UK, which can be conceptualised within four main areas: national policy; local organisational structures and practice; professional and disciplinary theory; and practice of individuals (Bergen and While 2005). However, there has been a lack of direction in district nursing in recent years within the UK, with a decline in the number of district nurses being educated (Queen’s Nursing Institute 2014a) and the educational standards supporting district nurse education being over 20 years out of date (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2001). In addition to this, the standards of education for pre-registration nursing (Nursing and Midwifery Council 2010) have supported a graduate workforce with an increasing focus on nursing in the community. This was identified as a consideration for me as an educator when examining the future educational requirements of nurses beyond the point of registration in the community, and became the focus of this study. Knowing in practice is a key concept within this thesis, that is, the particular awareness that underpins the being and doing of a district nurse in practice (Chinn and Kramer 2008). This study explores the unique knowing of district nursing in practice, and how this professional knowing is developed. Understanding the knowing of district nurses and how this is developed will contribute to future educational frameworks and ways of supporting professional development within community nursing practice. A question that is often asked is what makes district nurse knowing different from nursing in inpatient settings, and this emerges in this thesis. A qualitative study using an interpretative approach within a case study design was adopted using three Health Boards within Scotland as the cases. Within each Health Board area, interviews were undertaken with key informants and also, group interviews with district nurses were undertaken using photo elicitation as a focussing exercise. The data were analysed using framework analysis (Spencer et al. 2003). This approach illuminated a depth and breadth of knowing in district nurse practice and how this knowing is developed. The study findings depict the complexity of knowing in district nursing, acknowledging the advancing role of district nursing practice, where the context of care is an essential consideration. The unique knowing can be described as a landscape that the district nurse must travel: crossing a variety of socio-economic areas; entering the private space of individuals, and the public space of communities; as well as acknowledging professional practice; navigating the policy agenda while maintaining clinical person-centred care; and leading others across the terrain of interprofessional working. The unique knowing in practice that characterises the expertise of district nurses is a matrix of elements that incorporates different aspects of knowing that contribute to leadership, as suggested by Jackson et al. (2009). The participants in this study recognised that due to the complexity of the district nurse role, and its continuing advancements, that district nurse education needs to move to a Master's level preparation and it needs to continue to be supported by a suitably qualified practice teacher. Furthermore, the findings within this study demonstrate that the development of the unique knowing in district nurses does not happen in isolation and it is very complex. It consists of networks, conversations, engagement with policy, understanding of professional contexts, adhering to organisational boundaries, and interaction with complex and challenging situations. Theory and practice are mutually dependent on each other; change is inevitable and is unpredictable; and practices change by having experiences, therefore change is integral to practice. Consequently, it was concluded that the interdependent elements, which interact, develop the unique knowing of district nurses in practice. Finally this thesis makes recommendations and discusses future implications for policy, practice and research.