Introduction
The completed three stages of the project proved that medication management during transitional nursing is one of the essential elements that determine the quality of treatment. In case the medication is not prescribed appropriately, and doctors and nurses do not educate patients about possible side effects, the transition becomes less effective and beneficial for individuals’ well-being. For this reason, it is crucial to identify the most vulnerable to medication management mistakes groups of people and provide solutions that can help minimize the probability of treatment discrepancies during transitional nursing. This project developed all the necessary stages for research fulfillment, such as planning, sampling and reliability, and implementation. Therefore, the following paper will present the study results by conducting a theoretical analysis of various data collected and indicating research limitations and areas for improvement.
Descriptive Data
The participants for the study were chosen the way it was indicated in the implementation phase. The main goal was to conduct interviews from people highly involved in transitional care who understand how the process works in detail and have an experience of at least 5 years. In general, 15 interviews were conducted (6 doctors, 9 nurses) via Skype and Zoom applications. All the study participants worked in the sphere of transitional nursing for more than 7 years and had a chance to treat chronic and elderly patients. The interviewer mainly focused on asking questions about the medical histories of patients and their conditions before, during, and after the procedure of transition. This strategy helped identify medically fragile and socially vulnerable groups of older people who are fundamentally distinct from individuals without chronic problems (Toles et al., 2016). In addition, several questions aimed at receiving a response about intervention characteristics and resources used by medical professionals since these elements are essential while providing transitional care (Toles et al., 2016). The length of all interviews did not exceed 30 minutes, and all the participants signed a non-disclosure agreement.
Results of Statistical Tools
The coding of information collected during the interviews allowed the division of vulnerable patients into various groups according to their health conditions, age, and psychological differences. Assistants recruited by the researchers carefully analyzed the examples of people provided by the study participants and categorized them by taking into consideration their distinguishing features. Coffey et al. (2017) mentioned that elderly people suffer from an increasing level of dependency on others; therefore, assistants created a specific group for such individuals based on the comments of nurses and doctors. Furthermore, adults with severe chronic conditions that do not give them an opportunity to lead a typical lifestyle were placed in another subgroup that needs constant care from relatives or medical specialists (Coffey et al., 2017). Finally, the third group created by the assistants were patients aged 80 and more who do not have chronic conditions and psychological issues but need assistance in buying and taking drugs. These people were put together since, due to their age, they are not knowledgeable and competent enough to make any serious medical decisions.
The SPSS software identified that the most vulnerable group are older adults with chronic illnesses. The program ran the descriptive statistics of all three detected categories in order to define which subgroup experiences the most significant number of challenges when being involved in transitional care. It was concluded that those who have chronic conditions, such as “heart failure, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, hypertension, and diabetes,” suffer the most from medication management (Son & You, 2015). This result is based on the fact that transitions of chronic patients give significant rise to adverse clinical events leading to individuals having unmet needs and developing a feeling of dissatisfaction with the quality of treatment received (Son & You, 2015). Moreover, if the medication is given to people without considering their individual health problems or side effects, the overall well-being and a particular chronic condition may severely deteriorate (Son & You, 2015). 12 out of 17 study participants indicated that they experience issues when delivering care to chronic patients and choosing the right treatment program. Therefore, this subgroup is the most vulnerable of all three.
The results of this research will help medical professionals to determine the main mistakes that they make during the process of transitional nursing. After analyzing their failures, doctors and nurses will be able to develop appropriate solutions to the existing problems and prevent the emergence of new issues in the future. The overall system of transitional care will be improved, and patients will be more satisfied with the delivered treatment.
Research Limitations
One of the most obvious limitations of this study is that, during the interview, participants provided their subjective opinions about vulnerable groups and ineffective treatment practices. Every professional’s experience is distinct since they work in different environments, use different treatment methods and medications, and help various groups of people and layers of the society. Another possible limitation of the study is that it does not take into account the gender of participants which can also be a critical factor in understanding medication management mistakes. Thus, the study can be improved if patients are divided into more groups and a larger number doctors and nurses are interviewed.
References
Coffey, A., Mulcahy, H., Savage, E., Fitzgerald, S., Bradley, C., Benefield, L., & Leahy‐Warren, P. (2017). Transitional care interventions: Relevance for nursing in the community. Public Health Nursing, 34(5), 454-460.
Son, Y. J., & You, M. (2015). Transitional care for older adults with chronic illnesses as a vulnerable population: Theoretical framework and future directions in nursing. Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing, 45(6), 919-927.
Toles, M., Colón-Emeric, C., Asafu-Adjei, J., Moreton, E., & Hanson, L. C. (2016). Transitional care of older adults in skilled nursing facilities: A systematic review. Geriatric Nursing, 37(4), 296-301.