Discharging older patients from hospital to homecare: conflicts in collaborative practices among nurses across sectors.

Publisher: MA Healthcare Ltd Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9815827 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1462-4753 (Print) Linking ISSN: 14624753 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Br J Community Nurs Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: London : MA Healthcare Ltd
Original Publication: London : Mark Allen Pub.,

Patient Discharge* ; Home Care Services*; Humans ; Aged ; Cooperative Behavior ; Nursing Staff, Hospital/psychology ; Community Health Nursing ; Anthropology, Cultural ; Attitude of Health Personnel

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.

Keywords: collaboration; communication; community nursing; cross-sector; discharge of older patients; hospital nursing; meta-ethnography

Date Created: 20240704 Date Completed: 20240704 Latest Revision: 20240704

20240704

10.12968/bjcn.2023.0069

38963274