Nurses' needs when collaborating with other healthcare professionals in palliative dementia care

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• High-quality palliative dementia care requires effective interprofessional collaboration.
• Nurses are central to coordinating care for individuals with dementia and their families.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' needs for interprofessional collaboration in home care and nursing home settings.
• To identify specific collaboration requirements during nursing home admissions.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to healthcare professionals (HCPs) involved in dementia care.
• 384 participants, including home care and nursing home nurses, completed the survey.

Main Results:

• Nurses prioritized optimal communication content, including information transfer and accessible contact lines.
• Clear coordination, such as a single point of contact and defined responsibilities, was frequently requested.
• During nursing home admissions, transparency on end-of-life wishes and improved nurse-to-nurse handover were highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Centralized coordination, effective communication, and transparency in end-of-life care agreements are crucial for palliative dementia care.
• Addressing these collaboration needs can enhance the quality of care provided by nurses.