The missing link.

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Communication
• Patient Information Transfer

Background:

• Effective patient information sharing is crucial for continuity of care.
• Gaps in communication between hospital nurses and community-based professionals can impact patient outcomes.
• Understanding current practices is essential for improving care coordination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of patient information sharing by hospital nurses with external healthcare professionals.
• To identify barriers and facilitators in the process of interprofessional communication.
• To inform strategies for enhancing collaborative patient care.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to hospital nurses to assess their methods and frequency of patient information sharing.
• The survey included questions on communication channels used, types of information shared, and perceived challenges.
• Data analysis focused on identifying patterns in information exchange and associated factors.

Main Results:

• Hospital nurses utilize various methods, including phone calls and electronic health records, to share patient information.
• The frequency and completeness of shared information varied significantly.
• Common barriers included time constraints and lack of standardized communication protocols.

Conclusions:

• While hospital nurses engage in information sharing, significant opportunities exist to improve its effectiveness.
• Standardized protocols and enhanced communication tools are needed to ensure seamless patient information transfer.
• Improving nurse-to-community professional communication is vital for comprehensive patient management.