GPs' opinions of discharge summaries generated by advanced nurse practitioners in emergency care settings

Abstract

Aim: Clinical handover at the point of discharge is critically important. It generally occurs through a written document, usually in the form of a discharge summary. Hospital discharge summaries contribute to continuity of care for patients who leave hospital and who may require care in the community provided by their GP. They must be accurate, valid, reliable, timely, legible and complete. The aim of this study was to investigate GPs' perceptions of the content of discharge summaries generated by emergency advanced nurse practitioners (EANPs).

Method: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design was used and a questionnaire was distributed to 120 GPs. Raw statistical data were analysed using SPSS v22 while the qualitative data from the open-ended questions were manually analysed.

Findings: Most GPs were satisfied with the EANPs' discharge summary letters. However, this study supports previous papers that identified deficits in communication between secondary care and GPs.

Conclusion: There is a need to refine discharge summaries to create an enhanced structured discharge summary template that can be used by all disciplines.

Keywords: communication; community; discharge; emergency care; general practice; patient experience; patients; primary care.