2017 Volume 20 Issue 2 Pages 29-37
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efforts of outpatient nurses to perceive the needs of home care support for patients in hospitals with 100 beds and over for general wards, and associations with the characteristics of the hospitals.
Method: We conducted a self-administered questionnaire survey by mail with 2,541 hospitals which had 100 beds and over for general patients.
Results: Data of 657 Hospitals were analyzed, and in347 hospitals that were “making efforts” to perceive needs. The characteristics of these hospitals were as follows; “They have stipulated medical fees for outpatient nursing”, “They have a system set up for patients to consult a nurse”, “They have a clear policy and philosophy regarding nursing in their outpatient departments”, and “Nurses are attending study sessions and making an effort to share their knowledge with each other”.
Conclusion: More than half of the hospitals made some kind of an effort to perceive needs. Those hospitals making an effort to perceive needs for home care support had a culture in which outpatient nurses were pro-actively working. The results showed that a hospital’s culture, such as creating policies and philosophies as an organization, and promoting the development of knowledge and motivation through study sessions, might facilitate the adoption of efforts to perceive need for home care support.
