Just before Christmas we published our long-awaited report on Hospital Discharge – the culmination of a two-year research study that took place across three Essex Hospitals.
The study was our most ambitious to date and the impact of it’s findings and recommendations are still being felt. As with any successful research study, we often find that in addition to the report itself, we are able to publish articles in international research journals, highlighting various aspects of the study.
It’s a good indication that the study really has had something worthwhile to say when publications gladly print articles and we are now able to share the latest in Global Qualitative Nursing Research, which has been made open for all to read.
The article, ‘The Experience of Transitional Care for Non-Medically Complex Older Adults and Their Family Caregivers’, was published in Global Qualitative Nursing Research earlier this year. It’s the second time our Hospital Discharge work has featured in an international publication, previously appearing in ‘Ethics & Behavior’ back in July last year.
Authored by our current and previous Research Managers, Dr Alexandros Georgiadis and Dr Oonagh Corrigan respectively, the article explores whether the existing transitional care models are appropriate to address the needs of non-medically complex older adults.
As the abstract for the article outlines, ‘Transitional care research has mainly focused on the experiences of older adults with complex medical conditions. To date, few publications examine the experience of transitional care for non-medically complex older adults.
‘In this article, we draw on and thematically analyse interview and audio-diary data collected at three hospitals in Eastern England, and we explore the experience of transitional care of 18 older adults and family caregivers.
‘Participants reported mixed experiences when describing their care transitions, which indicated variations in care quality. To achieve independence and overcome the difficulties with care transitions, participants used a range of interrogative techniques, such as questioning and information seeking.
We contend that the existing transitional care interventions are inappropriate to address the care needs of non-medically complex older adults and family caregivers. Implications for frontline health care staff and health services researchers are discussed.’
Read the article.