2024 Volume 20 Issue 2 Pages 66-76
Objective:This study sought to determine how ward nurses and discharge coordinating nurses provide discharge support to elderly patients living alone with dementia following hospitalization in an acute care hospital, and in particular examining discharge support that respects the patients’ wishes.
Methods:A qualitative descriptive research design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four ward nurses and three discharge coordination nurses working in an acute care hospital. Their narratives were analyzed qualitatively.
Results:The five aspects of discharge support discussed by the participants were “support in line with patient wishes”, “support to achieve discharge home”, “assessment for safe living after discharge”, “support for safe living after discharge home,” and “activities to improve discharge support”.
Conclusion:In order to provide discharge support that respects the wishes of elderly persons with dementia who live alone, it is important to elicit the wishes of the elderly persons with dementia, to include support persons who support the elderly persons with dementia, to conduct assessments to ensure that the elderly persons with dementia can live safely after discharge, and to be involved in ensuring that support continues after discharge.
