Search

Background: Continuing care is needed for the growing number of chronically ill patients who struggle with health problems after discharge. This study aims to elucidate the development process, functionalities, service protocols, and utilization of an Internet Plus Care (IPC) platform devised by our hospital to offer healthcare services to discharged patients. Methods: This was a mixed study. After describing the development process, function and usage of IPC platform, we retrospectively collect data such as the general information of service recipients and service providers, service items, and service prices through the IPC platform from January 2021 to September 2023 to characterize these services. Results: 69 nurses delivered a total of 788 services to 211 patients through the IPC platform. The majority of services (N = 652, 82.7%) were delivered offline, with almost half of the recipients (N = 384, 48.7%) being elderly individuals. 46.4% of nurses provided services ≥ 3 times. Furthermore, 26.5% of patients received services three or more times. Notably, patients' care requirements exhibited variations across age groups, with wound care (n = 243, 63.3%), pressure injuries care (n = 50, 13.0%), and replacement of indwelling nasogastric tubes (n = 20, 5.2%) emerging as the top three services favored by the elderly. Conclusions: The IPC platform demonstrates potential in delivering diverse health services to patients; however, the involvement of nurses and patients needs to be enhanced. It is necessary to implement relevant safeguard policies to promote the effective use of IPC platform for health management of discharged patients in the future. What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community?: The prevalence of chronic diseases is on the rise, and patients with chronic diseases continue to struggle with health problems after discharge and require extended treatment and rehabilitation. Our study proves that IPC platform presents a promising avenue for addressing these challenges. It is anticipated that governmental authorities will undertake comprehensive policy, legislative, and medical insurance reforms to facilitate the extensive adoption of IPC platform-based services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the escalating trend of pediatric patients, particularly non-urgent cases, going to the emergency departments (EDs) in New South Wales, Australia, prompted the establishment of virtualKIDS, a nursing-led telehealth service. This service, initiated in June 2021, operates 24/7 and provides comprehensive care through audio-visual consultations emphasizing a patient-centered approach. Three elements—COVID-19 Outpatient Response Team (CORT), virtualKIDS Acute Review (vKAR), and Virtual Urgent Care (VUC)—addressed specific needs during and beyond the pandemic, showcasing the adaptability and impact of virtual care. vKAR focuses on post-discharge support, allowing families access to telehealth for up to three days. Preliminary data indicates a 44% reduction in ED visits within 48 h. VUC employs nursing-led triaging paired with audiovisual assessment, demonstrating a 69% hospitalization avoidance rate. Hybrid ambulatory models such as a sleep study at home project, day-only tonsillectomies, and arthroscopic knee surgeries showcase innovative approaches to reducing hospital admissions and enhancing patient outcomes. This paper presents the evolution and diverse models of care implemented by the virtualKIDS service, offering insights into its potential as a nursing-led alternative to ED visits in acute-care pediatrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Identify and map international evidence regarding innovations led by or involving advanced practice nurses in response to COVID‐19. Background: COVID‐19 necessitated unprecedented innovation in the organization and delivery of healthcare. Although advanced practice nurses have played a pivotal role during the pandemic, evidence of their contributions to innovations has not been synthesized. Evidence is needed to inform policies, practices, and research about the optimal use of advanced practice nurses. Methods: A scoping review was conducted and reported using the PRISMA‐ScR checklist. Electronic databases were searched for peer‐reviewed articles published between January 2020 and December 2021. Papers were included that focused on innovations emerging in response to COVID‐19 and involved advanced practice nurses. Results: Fifty‐one articles were included. Four themes were identified including telehealth, supporting and transforming care, multifaceted approaches, and provider education. Half of the articles used brief and mostly noncomparative approaches to evaluate innovations. Conclusion: This is the first synthesis of international evidence examining the contributions of advanced practice nurses during the pandemic. Advanced practice nurses provided leadership for the innovation needed to rapidly respond to healthcare needs resulting from COVID‐19. Innovations challenged legislative restrictions on practice, enabled implementation of telehealth and new models of care, and promoted evidence‐informed and patient‐centered care. Implications for practice: Advanced practice nurses led, designed, implemented, and evaluated innovations in response to COVID‐19. They facilitated the use of telehealth, supported or transformed models of care, and enabled health providers through education, mentorship, and mental health support. Implication for policy: Advanced practice nurses are a critical resource for innovation and health system improvement. Permanent removal of legislative and regulatory barriers to their full scope of practice is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The electronic medication administration record (eMAR) is an eHealth system that has replaced the traditional paper‐based medication administration used in many healthcare settings. Research has highlighted that eHealth technologies can change working methods and professional roles in both expected and unexpected ways. To date, there is sparse research that has explored how nurses and nurse assistants (NA) in home healthcare experience eMAR in relation to their work environment. Aim: The aim was to explore how nurses and nurse assistants experienced their work environment, in terms of job‐demand, control, and support in a Swedish home healthcare setting where an electronic medication administration record had been implemented to facilitate delegation of medical administration. Method: We took a qualitative approach, where focus groups were used as data collection method. The focus groups included 16 nurses and nine NAs employed in a Swedish municipality where an eMAR had been implemented 6 months before the first focus groups were performed. The analysis adapted the job‐demand‐control‐support model, by condensing the professionals' experiences into the three categories of demand, control, and support, in alignment with the model. Results: NAs experienced high levels of job demand and low levels of job control. The use of the eMAR limited NAs' ability to control their work, in terms of priorities, content, and timing. In contrast, the nurses described demands as high but manageable, and described having a high level of control. Both professions found the eMar supportive. Conclusion: Nurses and NAs in home healthcare experienced changes in their work environment regarding demand, control, and support when an eMAR was implemented to facilitate delegation of medical administration. In general, nurses were satisfied with the eMAR. However, NAs felt that the eMAR did not cover all aspects of their daily work. Healthcare organisations should be aware of the changes that digitalisation processes entail in the work environment of nurses and NAs in home healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: eHealth was widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Much attention was given to the technical aspects of eHealth, such as infrastructure and cost, while the soft skill of compassion remained underexplored. The wide belief in compassionate care is more compatible with in-person interactions but difficult to deliver via e-platforms where personal and environmental clues were lacking urges studying this topic. Purpose: to explore the experience of delivering compassionate care via an eHealth platform among healthcare professionals working to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative study design with an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach was used. Twenty healthcare professionals (fifteen nurses and five physicians) who provided care using technology platforms, such as telephone hotlines, mobile apps, and social media, were interviewed individually. Ethical considerations: Permission to conduct the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board. Results: Participants stated that "eHealth enabled compassionate care during the pandemic" by ensuring patient care availability and accessibility. They shared experiences of "communicating compassionate care via eHealth" with suggestions of addressing patients' needs with empathy, adopting a structured protocol to guide eHealth communication, and using more advanced visual-media methods to promote human-to-human interaction. They recommended "setting realistic mutual expectations" considering the limitations of eHealth in handling complex health situations and staffing shortages. Participants considered "low eHealth literacy hinders compassion." Additionally, they recommended the need for "institutional/system-level support to foster compassionate care." Conclusion: Participants recognized the importance of integrating compassion into eHealth services. Promotion of compassionate care requires standardization of eHealth services with institutional and system-level support. This also includes preparing adequate staffing who can communicate compassionate care via eHealth, set realistic expectation, and adjust communication to eHealth literacy level while meeting the needs of their patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]