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To explore how receiving gerontological nurse telephone support assisted caregivers of older adults to provide care after hospital discharge.
Informal caregivers are vital to the recovery of older patients after hospital discharge, but often feel under-prepared and unsupported. The need to strengthen caregiver support is becoming increasingly important due to the growing population of older adults and their needs for hospital services. This secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial examined how nurse telephone support assisted caregivers in their caring role at the time of hospital discharge.
A qualitative descriptive study. A purposive sample of informal caregivers (n = 47) who had received nurse telephone support was recruited. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants at six (March 21–January 23) and 12 months (August 2021–June 2023) after the older adult's discharge. The nurses used a problem-solving approach to provide support. Transcripts were analysed inductively using content narrative analysis.
Two themes emerged: (i) mastery and skills to care; (ii) empowerment to care. Caregiver mastery was developed through nurses providing tailored support that assisted caregivers to develop a structured approach to problem-solving, apply problem-solving to their personal circumstances, increase capacity and skills, and manage workload more effectively. Empowerment resulted from nurses creating a nurturing environment where caregivers developed a positive inner dialogue, increased confidence and capacity to foster a positive relationship with the care recipient and valued themselves. Synthesizing these themes via a concept map explained how nurse support assisted caregivers of older adults become more prepared to care and increase self-efficacy.
Nurse telephone support can facilitate caregivers of older adults discharged from hospital to undertake problem-solving that is effective for their individual circumstances and empower them to care. Telephone calls enabled nurses to provide timely, tailored support for caregivers of older adults after hospital discharge.
Nurses can provide expert, professional guidance via telephone to support caregivers be more prepared to care when older adults are discharged from hospital. This support should extend beyond instructions related to the care recipients' immediate needs and include the provision of knowledge and coaching to support a structured approach to problem-solving. Allocating dedicated time for hospital nurses to deliver caregiver support should be considered an integral component of person-centred care. This research strengthens the evidence for the valuable contribution that nurses can make to improving hospital discharge services.
This study was reported using the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist.
The research team includes consumer investigator (HL) who provided input throughout the research, including design, procedures, data analysis and manuscript authorship.
Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Identifier: ACTRN12620000060943
The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of informal caregivers receiving nurse telephone support for an older person discharged from hospital and how the nursing support influenced their experiences of caring.
A descriptive qualitative study.
Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants who cared for older adults from two states in Australia between April 2022 and March 2023 for one-on-one interviews 6 months (n = 28) and 12 months (n = 24) after patient discharge from hospital. Inductive directional content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data.
Three themes were identified: (1) Caregiving elicited a complex mix of emotions; (2) nursing support improved caregivers' preparedness to care over time and (3) caregivers welcomed emotional and practical support as they took on new responsibilities. They reflected that nurse telephone support offered emotional and practical support, helping caregivers feel more confident and less stressed in the caregiving role.
The study highlighted the value of proactive nurse-led programs to support informal caregivers after patient discharge from hospital, improving their experience. Providing ongoing support after discharge via telephone communication can play a critical role in caregiver wellbeing and facilitate the sustainability of their caregiving responsibilities in the home.
Study design and conduct are reported in line with the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative studies (COREQ) guidelines.
The research team includes a consumer investigator (H.L.) who has provided feedback and input at all stages of the research, including grant application, project design, data analysis and manuscript review.
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier (ANZCTR): 12620000060943
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