Nursing practice, continuity of care, and maternal-infant health outcomes in a remote First Nations community ...

• Main Author: Tarlier, Denise Susan
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2010
• Subjects: First Nations
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0092763; https://doi.library.ubc.ca/10.14288/1.0092763

The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore nurses’ primary care practice, continuity of patient care, and clinical health outcomes in one remote First Nations community in Canada. This work was underpinned by previous conceptual work in (a) primary health care, (b) The Nursing Role Effectiveness Model (i.e., a structure-process-outcomes model), and (c) continuity of care. Continuity was conceptualized in terms of relational, informational and management continuity. Clinical health outcomes were explored through quantitative data abstracted from patient chart review on two selected health indicator conditions: (a) prenatal care and (b) infant care through the first year. Focusing on maternal-infant outcomes offered a window through which to explore nurses’ practice and examine continuity at the individual level and importantly, to extrapolate findings related to continuity and fragmentation beyond the individual level to implications at the community and population levels. Indicator condition ...