Study on Medical Collaboration System of Visiting Nursing Stations Enabling Terminal Care at Home

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the correlation between 24-hour home visiting nursing stations, collaboration with health care professionals at health care facilities and home care service providers, and home care, as well as examine medical collaboration system of home visiting nursing stations for realizing home care. Anonymous self-administered questionnaires were mailed to administrators at 1,590 home visiting nursing stations.

Home visiting nursing stations in areas having high at-home mortality rates provided support through a 24-hour home care system, provided emergency home visit nursing outside ordinary working hours, and collaborated with home care support clinics. Moreover, they are also thought to have provided 24-hour accommodation of changes in patient symptoms and apprehension among family members as a result of controlling symptoms through the use of drugs, and at-home continuous subcutaneous injections.

It was suggested that in order to realize terminal care in the home, it is necessary for visiting nurses to collaborate with health care facilities and provide high-quality care that focuses on the progress of the patient as well as education for enabling family members to care for patients with peace of mind.