References
Discharging older patients from hospital to homecare: conflicts in collaborative practices among nurses across sectors
Abstract
Background:
Collaboration is a key factor influencing the quality and safety in patients transition between sectors. However, specific collaborative practices may give rise to conflict between hospital nurses and community nurses.
Aims:
To gain a deeper understanding of collaborative practices which have the potential to fuel tension in collaboration between hospital nurses and community nurses during discharge of older patients from hospital to homecare.
Methods:
A meta-ethnography approach was used in this study and a systematic literature search was conducted in 2022.
Results:
Five themes were identified in the analysis. These themes revealed how uncertainty, limited confidence in information and personal attitude in communication may fuel tension between hospital nurses and community nurses. Tensions arising from a negative loop emerged because of uncertainty, causing a growing rift between hospital nurses and community nurses, leaving them as opponents rather than collaborators. The authors suggest that policy makers and managers can break this loop by underpinning shared policies and awareness of common objectives.
Demographic shifts and hospital reorganisations mean that patients are discharged to their homes at a much faster rate and with more comprehensive healthcare needs than previously (Salmond and Echevarria, 2017; Ylitörmänen et al, 2019). This trend is especially pronounced among older patients for whom the transition from hospital to homecare is marked by an even higher level of complexity than in other patient groups (Norlyk et al, 2020; Moore et al, 2021). Consequently, homecare services face a growing demand to address these comprehensive care needs of the older population, ensure seamless treatment trajectories and deliver quality healthcare (Hansson et al, 2018; Norlyk et al, 2020; Dolu et al, 2021).
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Community Nursing and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for district and community nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Limited access to clinical or professional articles
-
New content and clinical newsletter updates each month