The importance of relational coordination for integrated care delivery to older patients in the hospital.

AIM: This study investigated relational coordination among professionals providing healthcare to hospitalized older patients and assessed its impact on integrated care delivery. BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that relational coordination is positively associated with the delivery of acute, emergency and trauma care. The effect of relational coordination in integrated care delivery to hospitalized older patients remains unknown. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was part of an examination of integrated care delivery to hospitalized older patients. Data were collected using questionnaires distributed to hospital professionals (192 respondents; 44% response rate). RESULTS: After controlling for demographic variables, regression analyses showed that relational coordination was positively related to integrated care delivery (ß = 0.20; P ≤ 0.05). Relational coordination was lower among professionals in the same discipline, and higher between nurses and others than between medical specialists and others. Relational coordination and integrated care delivery were significantly higher in geriatrics than in other units (both P ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The enhancement of relational coordination among healthcare professionals is positively associated with integrated care delivery to older patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Relational coordination should be improved between medical specialists and others and higher levels of relational coordination and integrated care delivery should be achieved in all hospital units.

Effects of a management team training intervention on the compliance with a surgical site infection bundle: a before-after study in operating theatres in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of a quality improvement (QI) team training intervention, by measuring the intervention fidelity and the compliance with a surgical site infection (SSI) bundle in the operating theatre (OT). DESIGN: Multicentre before-after study. SETTING: This study was performed in four Dutch hospitals. INTERVENTION: The QI team training intervention consisted of four sessions per hospital and stimulated participants to set culture norms and targets, identify barriers, and formulate management activities to improve compliance with four standard operating procedures (SOPs) of a SSI bundle in the OT. Participants were executive board members, top-level managers, leading clinicians and support staff. The four SOPs were: (1) reducing door movements; (2) preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis prescribing; (3) preoperative shaving; and (4) postoperative normothermia. Poisson and logistic regression analyses were performed to analyse the effect of the intervention on compliance with the individual SOPs (primary outcome measure) and on the influence of medical specialty, time of day the procedure took place and time in the OT (secondary outcome measures). RESULTS: Not all management layers were successfully involved during all sessions in the hospitals. Top-level managers were best represented in all hospitals, leading clinicians the least. The number of implemented improvement activities was low, ranging between 2 and 14. The team training intervention we developed was not associated with improvements in the compliance with the four SOP of the SSI bundle. Medical specialty, time of day, and time in OT were associated with median number of door movements, and preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis administration. CONCLUSION: This study showed that after the QI team training intervention the overall compliance with the four SOPs did not improve. Minimal involvement of leading clinicians and a low number of self-initiated activities after the team training were important barriers for compliance.

Assessment of correlates of hand hygiene compliance among final year medical students: a cross-sectional study in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the factors that influence the hand hygiene compliance of final year medical students, using a theoretical behavioural framework. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey assessing self-reported compliance and its behavioural correlates. SETTING: Internships of medical students in the Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: 322 medical students of the Erasmus Medical Center were recruited over a period of 12 months during the Public Health internship, which is the final compulsory internship after an 18-month rotation schedule in all major specialities. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Behavioural factors influencing compliance to hand hygiene guidelines were measured by means of a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Social Ecological Models. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the effect of including attitudes, social norms, self-efficacy, knowledge, risk perception and habit on hand hygiene compliance. RESULTS: We included 313 students in the analysis (response rate 97%). The behavioural model explained 40% of the variance in self-reported compliance (adjusted R2=0.40). Hand hygiene compliance was strongly influenced by attitudes (perceived outcomes of preventive actions), self-efficacy (perception of the ability to perform hand hygiene at the clinical ward) and habit, but was not associated with knowledge and risk perception. CONCLUSIONS: Targeting medical students' behaviour should focus on the empowerment of these juniors and provide them with evidence on the health benefits of prevention, rather than increasing their factual knowledge of procedures. Clinical teaching environments could help them form good patient safety habits during this vital phase of their career.