Question

Planning for our patients during times of transitions (for example: hospital to home, home to rehabilitation facility) involves collaboration with a number of healthcare professionals. Please address the following questions:

• How does your facility promote interprofessional collaboration during times of patient transitions?
• What is the role of the nurse in patient transitions?
• What gaps can you identify in this process related to quality of care? (If you are not currently in practice, please use a previous role or clinical experience in your answers
• please reference any materials you may use....thank you

Answer 1

PLANNING FOR OUT PATIENTS DURING TIMES OF HOSPITAL TRANSITIONS :

PATIENT TRANSITIONS : Patient transitions is defined as transferring a patient from one place to other, that is from home to hospital,or moving from hospital to home, or from hospital to rehabilitation centers, for the provision of better health care provisions to patients.

HOW DOES YOUR FACILITY PROMOTE INTER PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION DURING TIMES OF PATIENT TRANSITIONS ?

At the time of transitions it is very important for the Nurses to maintain inter personal communication and collaboration with health care providers and various team members, to make sure of safety to patient. During the period of transitions, as a nurse we have to be careful about patient medical condition and if he/ she is ready for such transitions to other places or not. Nurse has to collaborate with the health care team members of the other hospitals or centers where patient have to shift. Prior intimation to the patient and family about the importance of transition s important, and if possible make patient and family members communicate to that team members of other hospital/centers. Developing inter personal communication can reduce the risk of developing miscommunications, delayed in patient care and other health related factors.

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF NURSE IN PATIENT TRANSITIONS ?

Nurse will play a vital role at the time of patient transitions, as she will be a mediator between patient and doctor. Even a small thought of action change can develop a rift between patient and health care providers. Some of the roles of nurse is as follows :

1. Encouraging patient to adopt transitions for acceptance of better health

2. Acts as a patient care mediator

3. Develops trust relationship in patient centered care

4. Promotes healthy healing practices during transitions

5. Maintains inter personal communications between patient and health care team

6. Acts as a coordinator, and so on.

WHICH GAPS YOU IDENTIFY IN THIS PROCESS RELATED TO QUALITY OF HEALTH ?

As the transitions are having its own merits and demerits in providing of quality care to patients. Transitions are meant from transferring of patient from one setting to another setting for provision of better health . While transitions are having a risk part in handling patients. Due to lack of information, unwillingness from the side of patient and family members, delay in transition, negligent behavior of team members, improper co ordination between doctors and nurses, missing of health records of patients at the time of transitions, lack of resources causes gaps in providing quality of care to patients. FOR EXAMPLE due to the absence of physiotherapy in the hospital, doctor advice to go for rehabilitation centers for better treatment, But, due to the high expenses of rehabilitation centers patient shows unwillingness to go for that centers, that results in not providing of quality care to patient.

Finally, patient transitions are made to improve health conditions of patients, and to receive various health care benefits. Though transitions are having some risk factors it is recommended at higher health care levels.