Evaluation of multidisciplinary collaborative nursing model for people with critical conditions during physical examination

Objective This study explored the effect of the multidisciplinary-team collaborative nursing model in physical examinations of people with critical conditions (based on test results). Methods We selected 962 patients with critical conditions based on test-result values found from February to April 2018 as the general process group treated through the routine nursing model, and we also selected 1009 patients with critical conditions based on test-result values found from May to July 2018 as the multidisciplinary collaborating group using a team nursing model. The multidisciplinary collaborative nursing team members included health management center nurses, outpatient nurses, resident nurses, and ward nurses. We compared visiting rates, hospitalization rates, average visiting times, and overall satisfaction after the patients received notification of their abnormal results. There were 488 male patients (50.7%) and 474 female patients (49.3%) in the general process group, with an average age of 51.9 ± 14.9 years; there were 537 male patients (53.2%) and 472 female patients (46.8%) in the multidisciplinary collaboration group, with an average age of 51.0 ± 13.0. Results For the multidisciplinary collaboration group and the general process group, respectively, the visiting rate was 53.0% and 44.7% (χ2=13.65); the hospitalization rate was 26.7% and 20.9% (χ2=4.38); overall satisfaction was 97.9% and 95.9% (χ2=6.49); and the average visiting time was 4 days and 6 days (Z=5.04). The differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). By category, the visiting rate for radiology and ultrasound patients among the multidisciplinary collaboration group was significantly higher than in the general process group (64.4% vs. 50.8% for radiology, 45.9% vs. 37.3% for ultrasound, χ2=7.65, 7.11, P<0.05). The hospitalization rate for ultrasound patients in the multidisciplinary collaboration group was significantly higher than in the general process group (12.5% vs. 6.4%, χ2=10.17, P<0.05). The average visiting time of ultrasound, abnormal blood pressure, and laboratory testing patients was significantly lower in the general process group (4 days vs. 6 days, 4 d vs. 7 days, 4 days vs. 5 days, Z= 3.37, 1.97, 2.62, P<0.05). The overall satisfaction of radiology patients was significantly higher than in the general process group (98.6% vs. 94.3%, χ2=5.39, P<0.05). Conclusion The multidisciplinary team collaborative nursing model improves the rate of visiting and hospitalization of patients with critical conditions after physical examination, shortening their stays, helping patients get timely diagnoses and treatment, and improving patient satisfaction, making the model worth popularizing and applying more broadly. Key words: Nursing care; Physical examination; Multidisciplinary; Critical values; Effect evaluation