Protocol of a multimethod descriptive study: adapting hospital-to-home transitional care interventions to the rural healthcare context in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

IntroductionFaced with costly hospital readmissions of increasingly complex patient populations, transitional care is a priority throughout Ontario, Canada; yet, rural patients have significantly more hospital readmissions and emergency department visits during the first 30 days following hospitalisation than urban patients. Because transitional care (TC) was designed and evaluated with urban patients, addressing urban-rural disparities in TC effectiveness requires increasing the alignment of TC with the needs of patients and families in rural communities and the rural nursing practice context. The study objectives are to (1) determine the perceived acceptability of evidence-based TC interventions targeting postdischarge care management to patients, families and nurses and (2) adapt the interventions to patients’ and families’ needs and the rural nursing practice context.Methods and analysisThis multimethod study has two phases. In phase I, 32–48 patients and families will rate their level of preparedness for discharge and the acceptability of evidence-based TC interventions. Participants will be engaged in semi-structured interviews about their care management needs, their perspectives on the interventions in fitting those needs and in providing suggestions for adapting the interventions to fit their needs. TC interventions perceived as acceptable to patients and families will be examined in phase II. In phase II, 32–48 hospital and home care nurses will rate the acceptability of the interventions identified by patients and families and attend focus group discussions on the feasibility of providing the interventions. Phase I and II data will be analysed using descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Board at York University and participating hospital sites. Findings will be communicated through plain language fact sheets, policy briefs, press-releases and peer-reviewed conference presentations and manuscripts.

Influence of transitional nursing on the compliance behavior and disease knowledge of children with purpura nephritis

“…However, it is difficult for children and their parents to perform effective outpatient nursing care because of the lack of disease-related knowledge, which quickly leads to disease recurrence and rehospitalization in children[ 16 ]. Transitional nursing refers to nursing during the specific period when pediatric patients are discharged, which can improve the quality of nursing care and the outpatient management ability of children and their parents by effectively evaluating the conditions of children and judging the consistency of the diet, treatment and medication administration[ 6 , 17 ].…”

Family caregivers’ preparedness to support the physical activity of patients at risk for hospital readmission in rural communities: an interpretive descriptive study

“…This qualitative study used an interpretive descriptive approach, which guides researchers in developing an interpretive understanding of a health or clinical experience with the potential to inform practice [ 12 ]. This study was part of a larger multi-method project in which FCs were interviewed on their preparedness to support multiple aspects of a relative’s post-discharge care [ 13 , 14 ].…”

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Family Caregivers’ Preparedness to Support the Physical Activity of Patients at Risk for Hospital Readmission in Rural Communities: A Qualitative Study

“…This qualitative descriptive study is part of a larger multi-method project in which FCs were interviewed on their preparedness to support multiple aspects of a relative's post-discharge care [9,10]. This paper focuses on FCs' preparedness to support physical activity.…”