Continuity of care--the perspective of patients and their relatives

As part of an extensive research project on securing continuity of care through Pflegeüberleitung, data on experiences of patients and their relatives regarding discharge from hospital were collected and analysed by means of a qualitative study. Ten focused interviews were conducted and analysed with five patients and five relatives, respectively. From the results of the patient interviews, the subjective experience of being ill was identified as a main issue, constituting a dimension which pervades all other categories of the results. Patients judge nursing measures regarding the discharge planning in the light of this dimension. The results of the interviews with relatives indicate the lack of interdisciplinary cooperation and coordination. Relatives complain about the missing attempts to come to agreements and about their perspective not being considered regarding care needs as well as the date of discharge. There is a need for the development of new approaches to care and treatment in the hospital which allow for the patient's and the relatives' participation and co-shaping, thereby recognizing an altered understanding of the respective roles. In order to achieve systematic integration of the clients' perspectives, thus securing individual continuity of care, programmes for professional consultancy play an important part of these new approaches.