Public health nurse referrals for paediatric weight management: A nested mixed-methods study

Evaluating barriers and facilitators to healthcare providers' use of an emergency department electronic referral portal for high-risk children with asthma using the Theoretical Domains Framework

OBJECTIVE

Urban children with asthma are at risk for frequent emergency department (ED) visits and suboptimal asthma management. ED visits provide an opportunity for referrals to community-based asthma management services. Electronic medical record-based referral portals have been shown to improve quality of care but use of these portals by healthcare providers (HCPs) is variable. The purpose of the study was to investigate facilitators, barriers, and recommendations to improve the use of an electronic referral portal to connect children presenting with asthma exacerbations in an urban pediatric ED to community-based education and case management services.

METHODS

The study was grounded in the Theoretical Domains Framework, an implementation provided the theoretical basis of the study. All ED HCPs were invited to complete qualitative interviews; twenty-three HCPs participated. Interviews were coded using directed content analysis.

RESULTS

Facilitators to portal use included its relative ease of use and HCP beliefs regarding the importance of such referrals for preventive asthma care. Barriers included insufficient time to make referrals, lack of information regarding the community agency and challenges communicating the value of the referral to patients and/or their caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS

Successfully engaging HCPs working in ED settings to use electronic portals to refer children with asthma to community agencies for health services may involve helping providers increase their comfort and knowledge of the external provider agency, ensuring organizational leaders support the need for preventive asthma care and provision of feedback to HCPs on the success of such referrals in meeting the needs of those families served.

Control del sobrepeso y la obesidad en niños y adolescentes por enfermeras: un estudio de métodos mixtos

Resumen Objetivo: analizar el manejo del sobrepeso y la obesidad en niños y adolescentes por las enfermeras de la Estrategia Salud de la Familia (ESF). Método: se trata de un estudio de método mixto paralelo convergente, desarrollado en Centros de Salud (UBS) de un municipio del nordeste de Brasil En la etapa cuantitativa, los datos fueron recolectados a partir de un cuestionario aplicado a 98 enfermeras y evaluados mediante estadística descriptiva. Para la etapa cualitativa, se realizaron entrevistas semiestructuradas con siete enfermeras, interpretadas por análisis temático inductivo. Se combinaron los resultados cuantitativos y cualitativos y se mostraron a través de joint display. Resultados: la mayoría de los enfermeros raramente verificaba el perímetro de cintura (77,6%), la dislipidemia (55,7%), la glucemia (42,3%) y tampoco evaluaba la presión arterial (75,3%). En los resultados cualitativos se identificó que hay enfermeras que no clasificaban el índice de masa corporal según sexo y edad. En cuanto a la solicitación de pruebas, las peticiones se trataban principalmente sobre la rutina asociada a la puericultura. Las orientaciones con respecto a la actividad física y nutrición se efectuaban de forma básica o eran asignadas a otros profesionales, y también no se hizo un seguimiento cuando fueron direccionados a otros servicios o profesionales. Conclusión: existen deficiencias en el conocimiento y la práctica de las enfermeras de atención primaria en el control del sobrepeso y la obesidad en niños y adolescentes. Es imperativo capacitar a los enfermeros para el manejo del sobrepeso y la obesidad en la atención primaria de niños y adolescentes, con miras a la calidad de la atención para la prevención de comorbilidades.

Management of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents by nurses: a mixed-method study

Abstract Objective: to analyze the management of overweight and obesity in children and adolescents by nurses of the Family Health Strategy. Method: this is a study of convergent parallel mixed methods, developed in Health Centers of a municipality in northeastern Brazil. In the quantitative stage, data were collected from a questionnaire applied to 98 nurses and analyzed by descriptive statistics. For the qualitative stage, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven nurses, interpreted by inductive thematic analysis. The quantitative and qualitative results were integrated and presented by a joint display. Results: most nurses rarely checked waist circumference (77.6%), dyslipidemia (55.7%), blood glucose (42.3%), and neither evaluated blood pressure (75.3%). In the qualitative results, we identified that there are nurses who did not classify body mass index according to sex and age. As for medical tests, the requests were mainly related to the routine of childcare. Guidance on physical activity and diet were given in a basic way or attributed to other professionals, and referrals to other services or professionals were not followed up. Conclusion: it is imperative to train nurses for the management of overweight and obesity in primary care for children and adolescents, with a view to quality of care for the prevention of comorbidities.

Manejo do sobrepeso e obesidade em crianças e adolescentes por enfermeiras: estudo de métodos mistos

Resumo Objetivo: analisar o manejo do sobrepeso e da obesidade de crianças e adolescentes por enfermeiras da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Método: estudo de método misto paralelo convergente, desenvolvido em Unidades Básicas de Saúde, de um município do nordeste brasileiro. Na etapa quantitativa, os dados foram coletados a partir de um questionário aplicado a 98 enfermeiras e analisados por meio de estatística descritiva. Para a etapa qualitativa, foram realizadas entrevistas semiestruturadas com sete enfermeiras, interpretadas pela análise temática indutiva. Os resultados quantitativos e qualitativos foram integrados e apresentados por meio de joint display. Resultados: a maioria dos enfermeiros raramente verificava a circunferência da cintura (77,6%), dislipidemia (55,7%), glicemia (42,3%) e nenhum avaliava a pressão arterial (75,3%). Nos resultados qualitativos, identificamos que há enfermeiros que não classificavam o índice de massa corporal segundo sexo e idade. Quanto aos exames, as solicitações estavam relacionadas principalmente à rotina de puericultura. As orientações sobre atividade física e alimentação foram dadas de forma básica ou atribuídas a outros profissionais, e os encaminhamentos para outros serviços ou profissionais sem seguimento pelos enfermeiros. Conclusão: é imperioso a capacitação dos enfermeiros para o manejo do sobrepeso e obesidade na atenção primária para crianças e adolescentes com vistas a qualidade do atendimento para a prevenção de comorbidades.