Hospital Experiences of Carers in Relation to the Comprehensive Care Standard: A Mixed Method Study.
Beibei Xiong, Christine Stirling, Daniel X Bailey and 3 others
PMID 39381891WHAT IT FOUND
Carers of hospital patients described inconsistent involvement.
While 75.7% felt given a chance to provide information, 64.4% reported staff did not share consistent information. Poor communication and exclusion from decision-making were primary sources of dissatisfaction.
Key findings
0175.7% of survey participants agreed or strongly agreed that they were given the opportunity to provide relevant information about the person they cared for.
0264.4% of survey participants agreed or strongly agreed that staff worked together and shared consistent and correct information about the patient.
03Interviews revealed that carers often felt excluded from shared decision-making and care planning, with some describing a lack of visibility of the care plan.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Recruitment relied heavily on internet and social media, potentially excluding carers less engaged online. The sample was predominantly female (72.5% survey, 87.1% interview), limiting insights into male carers' experiences. Interviews were conducted in English, excluding non-English-speaking carers who may have distinct unmet needs. The study design was cross-sectional and qualitative, so it cannot establish causality or generalise quantitatively to all hospital settings.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Funding was provided by the University of Queensland.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the 75.7% figure as evidence that carers are routinely involved in decision-making. This statistic refers only to the opportunity to provide information. Separate survey data showed that only 67.4% felt involved in decision-making, and qualitative themes revealed frequent exclusion from care planning.