The association of collaboration between family caregivers and nurses in the hospital and their preparedness for caregiving at home

Ellen I Hagedoorn; Joost C Keers; Tiny Jaarsma; Cees P van der Schans; Marie Louise A Luttik; Wolter Paans

doi:10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.02.004

The association of collaboration between family caregivers and nurses in the hospital and their preparedness for caregiving at home

Geriatr Nurs. 2020 Jul-Aug;41(4):373-380. doi: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.02.004. Epub 2019 Mar 11.

Authors

Ellen I Hagedoorn¹, Joost C Keers², Tiny Jaarsma³, Cees P van der Schans⁴, Marie Louise A Luttik⁵, Wolter Paans⁶

Affiliations

¹ Research Group Healthy Ageing Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 3109, 9701 DC, Groningen, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Department of Health Psychology, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands; Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 3109, 9701 DC, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: e.i.hagedoorn@pl.hanze.nl.
² Research Group Healthy Ageing Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 3109, 9701 DC, Groningen, the Netherlands; Martini Hospital, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: J.Keers@mzh.nl.
³ Department of Social and Welfare Studies (ISV), Linköping University, SE-581 83, Linköping, Sweden. Electronic address: tiny.jaarsma@liu.se.
⁴ Research Group Healthy Ageing Allied Health Care and Nursing, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 3109, 9701 DC, Groningen, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Department of Health Psychology, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center, Department of Rehabilitation, A. Deusinglaan 1, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: c.p.van.der.schans@pl.hanze.nl.
⁵ Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 3109, 9701 DC, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: m.l.a.luttik@pl.hanze.nl.
⁶ Research Group Nursing Diagnostics, Hanze University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 3109, 9701 DC, Groningen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: w.paans@pl.hanze.nl.

PMID: 30867090
DOI: 10.1016/j.gerinurse.2019.02.004

Abstract

Family caregivers of an older person who was recently hospitalized often feel unprepared for their new or expanded tasks. Quality and continuity of care for older people is expected to improve when nurses collaborate with family caregivers as partners in care. The aim of this study was to explore the unique contribution of collaboration between family caregivers of older patients and hospital nurses as a possible predictor for preparedness of caregiving after hospital discharge. With a cross sectional design, a postal survey was sent to 777 family caregivers of home-dwelling hospitalized patients (≥70 years). Regression analyses were used to test the association between collaboration and preparedness for caregiving. In total, 506 (68%) family caregivers responded of whom 281 (38%) were eligible. Their mean (SD) age was 65 (13) and 71% were female. Family caregivers' level of collaboration with nurses was significantly associated with their preparedness for caregiving.

Keywords: Collaboration; Family caregiver; Hospitalization; Preparedness for caregiving.

MeSH terms

Aged
Caregivers / psychology*
Continuity of Patient Care*
Cooperative Behavior*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Home Nursing / psychology*
Hospitals*
Humans
Male
Nursing Staff, Hospital / psychology*
Patient Discharge
Surveys and Questionnaires