Primary care nurses in a local Belgian setting: responding to healthcare needs of people with disabilities.

Abstract

Objective In Belgium, 16.2% of people with a disability (PD) use home care services delivered by primary healthcare providers [1]. In this research, nursing care needs of PD are explored based on primary care nurses’ (PCN) experiences.

Methods A questionnaire was distributed electronically (September-December 2015) to 1547 PCN in Belgian region Limburg. Open-ended questions regarding (1) mental and behavioural problems, (2) medication policy, (3) swallowing problems, (4) monitoring of nutritional status and (5) any other needs arising in the care for PD were analyzed using qualitative data analysis techniques.

Findings Comments of 588 PCN (response rate: 38%) were generated, mentioning: impact of PD’s and informal caregivers’ behaviour on PCN’s working environment, particularly regarding medication policy, swallowing problems and nutritional status monitoring; PCN’s collaboration with PD and their informal caregivers in relation to respectively PD’s limited ability to communicate with PCN and informal caregivers behaving in a counteracting way, not following through PCN’s advice; PCN acting as a liaison towards other healthcare professionals or services in the interest of PD’s. Overall, PCN mentioned tasks in all facets of PD’s lives.

Conclusions PCN help with different tasks related to daily living. This “beyond standard” - care enhances the likelihood of PD to keep on living in their homes for a longer period of time. PCN seem to play a crucial role in activating other healthcare professionals to meet the healthcare needs of PD. Findings can be used to align pre-qualification training and education of (future) PCN with the (unmet) needs of PD [2].

[1] Europe. European comparative data on Health of People with disabilities Task 6: Comparative data and indicators ANED 2014. [2] Bollard M, Lahiff J, Parkes N. Involving people with learning disabilities in nurse education: towards an inclusive approach. Nurse Educ Today. 2012; 32: 173-177. PMid:22036270 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2011.10.002