(HealthDay News) — When there is consistency of nursing staff for home healthcare following a hospitalization, people living with dementia are less likely to be readmitted, according to a study published online June 23 in Medical Care.
Chenjuan Ma, Ph.D., from the New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing in New York City, and colleagues used assessment, administrative, and human resources data from a large urban nonprofit home health agency to examine the association between continuity of nursing care in home healthcare and rehospitalization among people living with dementia. Analysis included 23,886 people living with dementia receiving home healthcare following a hospitalization.
The researchers found that 24% of people living with dementia were rehospitalized. The mean continuity of nursing care score was 0.56. There was a range in continuity observed, with 8% of people living with dementia receiving each nursing visit from a different nurse (no continuity) and 26% receiving all visits from one nurse during a home healthcare episode (full continuity). People living with dementia receiving low (first tertile) or moderate (second tertile) continuity of nursing care had higher odds of rehospitalization (adjusted odds ratios, 1.33 and 1.30, respectively), compared with those receiving high continuity of nursing care.
“Continuity of nursing care is valuable for home healthcare because of its decentralized and intermittent care model,” Ma said in a statement. “While continuity of nursing care may benefit every home healthcare patient, it may be particularly critical for people with dementia. Having the same person delivering care can increase familiarity, instill trust, and reduce confusion for patients and their families.”
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