Background: Caregiving by family members of elderly with chronic conditions is currently intensifying in the\ncontext of an aging population and health care reform in the Netherlands. It is essential that nurses have attention\nfor supporting roles of family caregivers of older patients and address family caregiving aspects on behalf of the\ncontinuity of care. This study aims to explore what aspects of family caregiving were addressed during planned\ndiscussions between nurses, patients and family caregivers in the hospital.\nMethods: Qualitative descriptive research was conducted using non-participant observation and audio-recordings\nof planned discussions between nurses, older patients and their family caregivers as they took place in the hospital.\nThrough purposive sampling eligible patients (ââ?°Â¥ 65 years) with one or more chronic conditions were included.\nThese patients were admitted to the hospital for diagnostics or due to consequences of their chronic illness.\nRetrospective chart review was done to obtain patient characteristics. Data were collected in November/December\n2013 and April/May 2014 in four hospitals. Qualitative content analysis was performed using the inductive approach\nin order to gain insight into addressed aspects of family caregiving.\nResults: A total of 62 patients (mean age (SD) 76 years (7.2), 52% male) were included in the study, resulting in 146\nplanned discussions (62 admission and discharge discussions and 22 family meetings). Three themes were identified\nregarding addressed aspects of family caregiving. Two themes referred to aspects addressing the patientsââ?¬â?¢ social\nnetwork, and included ââ?¬Ë?social network structureââ?¬â?¢ and ââ?¬Ë?social network supportââ?¬â?¢. One theme referred to aspects\naddressing coordination of care issues involving family caregiving, referred to as ââ?¬Ë?coordination of careââ?¬â?¢.\nConclusions: During discussions nurses mostly addressed practical information on the patientsââ?¬â?¢ social network\nstructure. When specific family caregiving support was addressed, information was limited and nurses did not seem to\nexplore the nature of the family support. Patients discharge and after care needs were addressed occasionally as\naspects of coordination of care. Current nursing policies could be evaluated on nursing and family oriented theories.\nImplications for education could include mirroring study findings with nurses in a group discussion to enhance their\nawareness on family caregiving aspects.
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