A municipal acute unit (MAU) - Ideals and realities: User participation in medical decision- Making and level transitions

15^th Euro Nursing & Medicare Summit

October 17-19, 2016 Rome, Italy

Anne-Kari Johannessen

Oslo and Akershus University College, Norway
Akershus University Hospital, Norway

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

Municipal acute units (MAU) is a new healthcare service that all Norwegian municipalities are obligated to offer their residents within January 1st, 2016. These units, organized at the interface between hospital and municipal homecare services, aim to prevent or shorten hospital stays and alleviate some of the pressure on the hospital sector. Urgent inpatient municipal care involves organizational changes, and raise questions whether this creates new interfaces with increased risk of failure in patient safety. Common diagnosis for admission to a MAU are: fractures, pain conditions, leg ulcers, infections, constipation, diarrhea, pneumonia, COPD exacerbation and cognitive impairment. The patient�s average age is 75. GPs, emergency departments and outpatient polyclinics transfer patients to MAUs. The inpatient timeframe is 3 days. In a pilot study, we have explored how user participation in treatment and care happens in a MAU. Findings showed that lack of resources, short length of stay and bustle result in limited user participation. The staff collaborated well, but they strive to establish an appropriate collaboration towards the patients� families, and professionals working at the purchaser offices in the city districts. Fragile patients, some suffering of dementia or complex somatic diseases, influenced the degree of user participation. Findings in the pilot study will be important for further development of a PhD project aiming to study, conditions promoting and preventing user participation from the perspectives of patients and family caregivers.

Biography :

Anne-Kari Johannessen completed her PhD at the University of Oslo in 2013. She has a full time position as Researcher and Teacher at the Faculty of Nursing and Health Promotion, Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, and holds a part time position as a Senior Researcher at Health Services Research Unit, Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway. She has a background as Anestethist Nurse and holds a Master’s degree in Pedagogics. She is a Member of Østfold Hospital Research Board, and the board of Care - Health and Welfare at Oslo and Akershus University College.

Email: anne-kari-m.johannessen@hioa.no ajoh@ahus.no