Information transfer and continuity of care for stroke patients with eating difficulties from the perspectives of nursing staff in Swedish elderly care.

Abstract

Continuity of care is a key issue in the care for elderly people, for example, those having experienced stroke, particularly with regards to informational and managerial continuity based on patient record data. The study aim was to explore municipal nursing staff's (n=30) perceptions of discharge information provided to them for stroke patients with eating difficulties. Structured interviews were used and data were analysed by content analysis and descriptive statistics. Results showed that nursing staff perceived informational continuity and accuracy of information on patients' eating difficulties as poor and that little information on eating difficulties reached licensed practical nurses, who instead relied on their own assessments of patients' eating ability. Co-ordinated care planning and management continuity were largely lacking, increasing the risk for undernutrition and related complications for the patients.