Activities and Outcomes of Primary Medical Care Provided by Nurses in Primary Care Units of Health Service Region 4
Keywords:
primary medical care, activities, outcomes, primary care unitsAbstract
Objective: To describe the activities, outcomes, problems, and obstacles concerning provision of primary medical care by nurses in Primary Care Units of Health Service Region 4 (this study was a part of the research project entitled ‘Roles and Responsibilities of Nurses in Mobilising Primary Care Systems’, conducted by the Thai Nursing and Midwifery Council)
Design: Descriptive research using quantitative and qualitative data collection Methodology: The sample consisted of: (1) 35 registered nurses providing primary medical care in primary care units; and (2) 205 patients receiving primary medical care from the nurses. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, structured interviews, and participatory observation. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. Results: All the participating nurses were female, averagely aged 43.1 ± 7.6 years. About two-thirds (65.7%) were registered nurse practitioners, with a median of 6.0 years of
experience in Primary Care Units. The nursing activities in which the nurses were most involved included health education, and counseling patients and their families in healthcare matters. The nurses’ overall satisfaction was high, with professional value regarded as the most satisfactory. The major problems faced by the nurses included staff shortage, insufficient budget and facilities, too many KPIs, and lack of a medical consultation system. Amongst the patients, respiratory problems were identified as the most common health condition, in 23.4%, and of these, nearly three-fourths (73.9%) recovered after treatment. The patients’ overall satisfaction was high, averagely 93.4 ± 9.1 points, with the nurses’ service identified as the most satisfactory.
Recommendations: Benefits, facilities, and training for ongoing skill development should be provided for nurses to improve the quality of nursing care in primary care units.
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