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Aim:

To investigate registered hospital and nursing home nurses' experiencesof coordination and communication within and between care settings when olderpersons are transferred from nursing homes to hospital and vice versa.

Background:

It has previously been reported that transfers to hospital from nursing homes and discharge of patients from hospital are surrounded by communication difficulties. However, studies focusing on both hospital and nursing home registered nurses' experiences of communication and coordination within and between nursing homes and hospitals are uncommon.

Design:

A descriptive study design with a qualitative approach was used.

Methods:

In 2008, three focus group discussions were conducted with registered nurses from hospitals and nursing homes (n=20). Data were analysed using content analysis.

Results:

Nursing home registered nurses found it difficult to decide whether the older person should be referred to hospital from the nursing home. Hospitalregistered nurses reported often trying to stop premature discharges or having to carry out the discharge although it had not been fully prepared. Both hospital and nursinghome registered nurses suggested increased collaboration to understand each other's work situation better.

Conclusion:

Communication and coordination among hospital andnursing home registered nurses need to be furthered improved. Registered nurses'coordination and planning in the nursing home are extremely important to future elder care. We recommend that the medical care plan be regularly updated and meticulously followed, the aim being to reduce the risk of inappropriate medical treatment and nursingcare and unnecessary transfer and admission to hospital.

The purpose of the study was to examine the frequency of and reason for transfer from nursing homes to the emergency department (ED), whether these transfers led to admission to a hospital ward, and whether the transfer rate differs as a function of type of nursing home provider and to identify the frequency of avoidable hospitalizations as defined by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR). The design was retrospective, descriptive. Data were collected in a Swedish municipality where 30,000 inhabitants are 65 years or older. Structured reviews of the electronic healthcare records were performed. Included were residents living in a nursing home age 65+, with healthcare records including documented transfers to the ED during a 9-month period in 2010. The transfer rate to the ED was 594 among a total of 431 residents (M = 1.37 each). 63% resulted in hospitalization (M = 7.12 days). Nursing home's transfer rate differed between 0.00 and 1.03 transfers/ bed and was higher for the private for-profit providers than for public/private non-profit providers. One- fourth of the transfers were caused by falls and/or injuries, including fractures. The frequency of avoidable hospitalizations was 16% among the 375 hospitalizations. The proportion of transfers to the ED ranged widely between nursing homes. The reasons for this finding ought to be explored.

Aim: To explore possible factors in the organization of nursing homes that could be related to differences in the rate of transfer of residents from nursing homes to emergency department.

Design: Explorative.

Method: In a single municipality, qualitative and quantitative data were collected from documents and through semi-structured interviews with 11 RNs from five nursing homes identified as having the highest vs. six identified as having the lowest transfer rates to emergency department. Data were analysed by non-parametric tests and basic content analysis.

Results: All nursing homes in the highest transfer rate group and one in the lowest transfer rate group were run by private for-profit providers. Compared with the low group, the high group had fewer updated advance care plans and the RNs interviewed had less work experience in care of older people and less training in care of persons with dementia. There was no difference in nursing home size or staff/resident ratio. The RNs described similar possibilities to provide palliative care, medical equipment and perceived medical support from GPs.

OBJECTIVE:

To describe general practitioners' experiences of being the principal physician responsible for a nursing home.

METHOD:

Fifteen general practitioners assigned to a nursing home participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews. Data were analysed using systematic text condensation.

RESULT:

Medical assessment is the main duty of general practitioners. Advance care planning together with residents and family members facilitates future decisions on medical treatment and end-of-life care. Registered Nurses' continuity and competence are perceived as crucial to the quality of care, but inadequate staffing, lack of medical equipment and less-than-optimal IT systems for electronic healthcare records are impediments to patient safety.

CONCLUSION:

The study highlights the importance of advance care planning together with residents and family members in facilitating future decisions on medical treatment and end-of-life care. To meet the increasing demands for more complex medical treatment at nursing homes and to provide high-quality palliative care, there would seem to be a need to increase Registered Nurses' staffing and acquire more advanced medical equipment, as well as to create better possibilities for Registered Nurses and general practitioners to access each other's healthcare record systems.