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Original article
Expectations of patients, nurses and physicians in geriatric nursing home emergencies
  1. M K Bluemel1,
  2. C Traweger2,
  3. J F Kinzl3,
  4. M A Baubin1,
  5. W Lederer1
  1. 1Department of Operational Medicine, Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
  2. 2Department of Political Science, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
  3. 3Department of Psychiatry, Division of Psychosocial Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria
  1. Correspondence to Wolfgang Lederer, Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria; wolfgang.lederer{at}i-med.ac.at

Abstract

Objectives To determine contentment with the performance of primary mission emergency care providers.

Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted using key informant interviews to assess quality of life and self-rated degree of contentment with care in geriatric emergencies.

Results Interviews concerning a total of 152 geriatric emergency cases in nursing homes were conducted with patients in 13 (8.6%) cases, geriatric nurses in 132 (86.8%) cases and emergency physicians in 116 (76.3%) cases within a 3-month period. All responding patients as well as the majority of nurses (96.2%) and physicians (79.4%) were content with the quality of emergency care, but showed less contentment with communication (57.6% of nurses; 22.4% of physicians) and with cooperation on-site (57.6% of nurses; 20.7% of physicians).

Conclusions Participants perceived a deficit in communication and cooperation on-site. There is a need for intensified education in managing geriatric emergency patients, especially with regard to communication and psychosocial issues.

  • Emergency medical services
  • geriatric emergency medicine
  • nursing homes
  • quality of life
  • emergency ambulance systems
  • emergency ambulance systems
  • effectiveness
  • nursing, pre-hospital

https://doi.org/10.1136/emj.2010.093948

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    Footnotes

    • Competing interest None.

    • Patient consent Obtained.

    • Ethics approval This study was conducted with the approval of the Committee for Ethics, Innsbruck Medical University.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.