Diabetic foot ulcer patients’ and clinicians’ experiences of care transitions from hospital to home: a study protocol

Background Foot ulcers are an important cause of multiple hospitalisation and clinical complications in patients with diabetes. Before hospital discharge, the care transition should be planned across multiple care settings. Many problems occur during care transitions, resulting in negative patient outcomes and unnecessary readmissions. Aim This paper presents a protocol for a qualitative study exploring the experience of care transitions from both patients’ and clinicians’ perspectives in a regional hospital context in Western Switzerland. Methods design A qualitative descriptive design will be used to solicit patients‘ and clinicians’ perceptions of care transitions. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with six patients with a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and six community nurses. Data will be analysed according to Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis. Discussion Exploring participants’ experiences will afford information about their role within the process, any barriers to effective care transitions, and any strategies to overcome. Implication for clinical practice The findings of this study will be pivotal to informing and developing new and enhanced transition planning for people with DFU, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes, reducing hospital readmissions and enhancing cost savings. Additionally, this study takes a unique approach as it seeks experiences of both the patient and the clinician and is in alignment with the EWMA project Living with chronic wounds.