Cross-sectoral exchange of nurses: An intervention study

Area of Science:

• Health Policy
• Nursing
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Inadequate communication between primary and secondary healthcare sectors hinders safe patient trajectories.
• Collaboration challenges persist despite ideal plans, particularly concerning hospitalisation and discharge.
• A cross-sectoral nurse exchange program was initiated to foster better understanding and collaboration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify barriers to effective patient trajectories in cross-sectoral collaboration.
• To evaluate the impact of a sector-specific exchange program on participating nurses.
• To explore nurses' perceptions of inter-sectoral collaboration challenges and benefits.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectoral exchange program involving 28 nurses (14 from cardiology, 14 from home care).
• Nurses shadowed colleagues in the opposite sector to gain firsthand experience.
• Six focus group interviews were conducted and analyzed using interpretation theory.

Main Results:

• Identified themes included challenging communicative conditions (digital communication, care plans, discharge reports) and the perceived importance of the exchange.
• Barriers such as inadequate digital communication and inflexible organizational models were highlighted.
• Nurses gained mutual respect and insight into each other's working conditions.

Conclusions:

• Electronic communication systems inadequately support cross-sectoral collaboration.
• The exchange program has the potential to improve inter-sectoral relationships and communication.
• Enhanced understanding and respect among nurses can lead to more coherent patient care pathways.