2022 Volume 25 Issue 2 Pages 155-164
Objectives: This study clarifies the factors affecting medical social workers’ (MSWs) and discharge coordination nurses’ practical ability to provide discharge support in acute-care hospitals. We also reveal the differences in their practical ability to explore the strengths of professional skills in each job type.
Methods: A questionnaire survey concerning the practical ability to provide discharge support was conducted at 251 acute-care hospitals in all 47 Japanese prefectures. Data collected from 326 participants comprising 154 MSWs and 172 discharge coordination nurses were included in the exploratory factor analysis. Additionally, we calculated the means of the factor scores by job type and performed independent samples t-tests.
Results: This study showed that MSWs’ and discharge coordination nurses’ practical ability to provide discharge support in acute-care hospitals was composed of the following three factors: “the ability to support decision making systematically,” “the ability to integrate medical care into the lives of patients and their families,” and “the ability to coordinate health, medical, and welfare services.” The means of the factor scores of the discharge coordination nurses were higher than those of the MSWs for “the ability to support decision making systematically” and “the ability to integrate medical care into the lives of patients and their families.” In contrast, the mean of the factor scores of the MSWs was higher than that of the discharge coordination nurses for “the ability to coordinate health, medical, and welfare services.” A statistically significant difference was recognized between MSWs and discharge coordination nurses for each of the three factors.
Conclusions: The results suggest that cooperation between MSWs and discharge coordination nurses, such that they utilize the strengths of each type of job, is useful.
