Experience and Outcomes of a Fee-Basis Skill Mix Care Model

Tuesday, 8 July 2008: 3:15 PM
Su-Jen Kuo, MS , Department of Nursing, Miao-Li General Hospital, Miaoli City, Taiwan
Li-Li Chang, BS , Department of Nursing, Miao-Li General Hospital, Miao-Li, Taiwan
Hui-Jin Hsu, BS , Department of Nursing, Miao-Li General Hospital, MiaoLi, Taiwan
Asphodel Yang, PhD, RN , College of Nursing, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan

Learning Objective 1: Discuss changes in healthcare delivery model as socity change.

Learning Objective 2: Discuss a new care model for a changing society.

In Taiwan, family members play a vital role in providing care for older adult who are hospitalized. However, rapid changes in the population structure and the family structure demand changes in the nursing care delivery model to meet the needs of older adults and their family. A skill-mixed nursing care model, which is a fee-basis service, was implemented at a public hospital in a Taiwanese rural county. This program was implemented during 1/20~10/30 as a pilot project. One hundred and seventy hospitalized older adults, average of age of 70, were recruited and participated at this project. A formative evaluation research approach was used to evaluate this model. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit an overall rating of program quality and satisfaction of participants and their families. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to gather in-depth feedbacks from the participants and their families as well as nurses who took part in this program. Cost-benefit was analysis. The participants and their families reported increases in satisfaction of hospital care and decrease in economic and care burden. The nurses showed resistant to change and complained about increase in workload at the beginning; however, increases in job satisfaction and care outcome were reported at the end of this program.