Nurse liaison: a strategy for counter-referral

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Practice
• Patient Care Coordination

Background:

• Effective communication and care continuity between hospital and primary care are crucial for patient outcomes.
• The role of specialized nursing professionals in bridging healthcare service gaps requires investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To profile patients referred by a nurse liaison.
• To evaluate the experiences of healthcare professionals involved in a nurse liaison project.

Main Methods:

• Intervention research involving 12 hospital/emergency unit nurses and 26 primary care nurses.
• Data collection via questionnaires and counter-referral forms.

Main Results:

• 43 patients were counter-referred; 62.8% were over 60, 53.5% were men with multiple pathologies.
• Nurses reported improved inter-service dialogue and faster acquisition of resources for care continuity.
• Key challenges included time constraints and insufficient nursing staff.

Conclusions:

• The nurse liaison role enhances integration between healthcare services.
• This strategy effectively promotes continuity of care for patients post-hospital discharge.