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Rasku T, Helminen M, Kaunonen M, Thyer E, Paavilainen E, Joronen K. A Retrospective Review of Patient Records and Factors Associated with Decisions Made by Community Nurse-Paramedics' in Finland. Nurs Rep 2021; 11:690-701. [PMID: 34968343 PMCID: PMC8608054 DOI: 10.3390/nursrep11030065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Community paramedicine (CP) has extended the role of paramedics and the main goal is to provide non-emergency care, which reduces the visits to emergency departments. The aim of this study was to describe the Finnish CP and examine the factors that were involved in CNPs' decision-making processes. The study was based on data from 450 consecutive CP patient records from three hospital districts. A more detailed analysis was carried out on 339 cases in patients' homes and elderly care homes, and the data analysis included multivariate logistic regression to examine the impact of variables on the CNPs' decisions. These patients' most common health issues were general weakness (15.9%) and fever (10.6%), and over half (58.7%) could remain at home after the CP visit. There were five independent factors associated with the CNPs' decisions of the patient's care continuum: the hospital district, if the patient could walk, whether the troponin test was performed, a physician was consulted, and the nature of the task. CP units played a valuable role in non-emergency care. Understanding the factors associated with CNP decision-making can increase the safety and effectiveness of reducing hospital visits, by providing patient care at home, or in elderly care facilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuija Rasku
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Tampere University, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.H.); (M.K.); (E.P.)
| | - Mika Helminen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Tampere University, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.H.); (M.K.); (E.P.)
- Tays Research Services, Tampere University Hospital, 33520 Tampere, Finland
| | - Marja Kaunonen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Tampere University, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.H.); (M.K.); (E.P.)
- General Administration, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere University, 33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Elizabeth Thyer
- Dean’s Unit School of Health Sciences, Western Sydney University, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2750, Australia;
| | - Eija Paavilainen
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Tampere University, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, Finland; (M.H.); (M.K.); (E.P.)
- General Administration, The Hospital District of South Ostrobothnia, 60220 Seinäjoki, Finland
| | - Katja Joronen
- Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Joukahaisenkatu 3-5, 20520 Turku, Finland;
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