Lesson Learned from Redesigned a Family Care Team: Nurses’ Role in an Interprofessional Team at Urban Community Health Care Center, Sri-Muat-Klao Health Promotion Hospital, Muang, Lampang

Abstract

         Establishing a family care team improves a primary health service system, and increases accessibility to standard medical and public health services for all populations. This study; being conducted at Sri-Muat-Klao Health Promotion Hospital, a family care team in urban health center, was to take lessons learned from the redesigned family care team and the nurse’s role. Qualitative method was applied, and purposive sampling is used to collect data from interviewing of five nurses. The interviews were last about 60-90 minutes per each. Data were recorded in a recorder, and transcribed verbatim words by words. Questionnaire obtained personal information; regarding age, sex, marital status, educational levels, being certified as a nurse practitioner (Primary Medical Care), and years of working at a primary health setting and a family care team. Descriptive statistics was applied for these data analysis, and content analysis was used to describe the interviewing data. Qualitative results were confirmed for trustworthiness by using triangulation technique.          

            The results reveal that it was designed as a family care team, consisting of three S components; Structure, Staff, and System. Nurse’s role was emerged as working in; 1) case management; 2) primary medical care; 3) caring for families, patients with chronic diseases and palliative care at home; 4) health promotion, disease prevention, and rehabilitation; 5) consultation and collaboration with local agencies; 6) transferring and continuum of care system; and 7) empowerment. However, competencies such as team work and coordination may be in need for the nurses to be ready working as a member of a family care team.