J Nurs Acad Soc.  1978 Jun;8(1):131-138.

A Study on the Attitude of the Consumers and the Referers' toward the Community Health Nursing Service of a General Hospital in Rural Korea

• Lee CY

Abstract

The change of society has brought about various health problems which have become to demand comprehensive health services not only for individuals but also for families and communities as the unit. To meet the societal needs W Hospital in a rural Korea established a Department of Community Health Nursing Services and provided nursing services to patients under a early discharge program. This study is to evaluate the community health nursing services carried out the department in general, and has following specific objectives: 1. To learn attitude of the consumers and the "referers" toward early discharge program. 2. To find out attitude toward home care and cure services. 3. To find out the consumers and the "Referers" attitude toward the 15 selected home care and cure activities by public health nurse. 4. To investigate possibility of charging fee for the 15 selected home care and cure activities by public health nurse. Three different study population were chosen: namely the consumer, the "referer" 1 and II. Excluding families moved out and not able to be contacted, the total families (77) referred to the department during the study period of September 1974 - December 1975 are defined as the consumer. Thirty seven nurses among 81 nurses who have been working in W Hospital since the inception of the Community Health Nursing Service Program were ramdomly selected. Thirty two nurses were defined as the "referer" I, because 5 questionnaires were not able to be collected. Twenty four doctors out of 37 who have been working since the Community Health Nursing Service Program started, and who were able to contact were called as the "referer" II. Data collection method employed for the consumers was direct interviewing with prepared interview schedules, and for the "referers" questionnaire method was utilized. x2 test and 100-percentage were employed in analyzing the data. The study findings are follows: 1. Attitude toward early discharge: Above 85% of the consumers and the "referers" approved the early discharge program. 2. Attitude toward the home care and cure services: Above 75% of the consumers and the "referers" showed positive attitude toward the home care and cure serviees by public health nurses, 3. Attitude toward 15 selected home care and curative activities by public health nurses: On the average more than 50% of the consumers and the "referers" expressed an affirmative attitude to perform 15 selected home care and cure services by public health nurses, 4. Attitude toward charging fee for 15 selected home care and curative activities by public health nurses: Above 85% of the consumers thought that they would pay for the services. Only 12.8% of the consumers and 5% of the "referers" what to have the services for nothing. Based upon the findings of this study; That is, the home care and cure services to be given by public health nurse were positively responded by the consumers and the professionals, one can conclude that the services provided by the Department of Community Health Nursing Service of W Hospital have been well accepted, and that early discharge program of hospital is believed to be a means to lessen the expenses of patients from hospitalization and to promote recovery from illness. It is recommended that hospital centered cure services should be reconsidered and scrutinized to meet community health needs. NOTE ; "Referers" are nurses and doctors who refer the early discharged patient to the Department of Community Health Nursing Service.

MeSH Terms

Appointments and Schedules
Community Health Nursing*
Data Collection
Fees and Charges
Health Services
Home Care Services
Hospitalization
Hospitals, General*
Humans
Korea*
Nurses, Public Health
Nursing Services
Surveys and Questionnaires