To read this content please select one of the options below:

Interdisciplinary partnerships for rural older adults’ transitions of care

Joyce Weil (University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA)
Gwyneth Milbrath (University of Illinois Chicago College of Nursing, Chicago, Illinois, USA)
Teresa Sharp (Colorado School of Public Health, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA)
Jeanette McNeill (Nursing Program, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA)
Elizabeth Gilbert (Colorado School of Public Health, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA)
Kathleen Dunemn (School of Nursing, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA)
Marcia Patterson (School of Nursing, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA)
Audrey Snyder (School of Nursing, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA)

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults

ISSN: 1471-7794

Article publication date: 14 September 2018

Issue publication date: 3 December 2018

211

Abstract

Purpose

Integrated transitions of care for rural older persons are key issues in policy and practice. Interdisciplinary partnerships are suggested as ways to improve rural-care transitions by blending complementary skills of disciplines to increase care’s holistic nature. Yet, only multidisciplinary efforts are frequently used in practice and often lack synergy and collaboration. The purpose of this paper is to present a case of a partnership model using nursing, gerontology and public health integration to support rural-residing elders as a part of building an Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner program.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland/O’Sullivan framework to examine the creation of an interdisciplinary team. Two examples of interdisciplinary work are discussed. They are the creation of an interdisciplinary public health course and its team-based on-campus live simulations with a panel and site visit.

Findings

With team-building successes and challenges, outcomes show the need for knowledge exchange among practitioners to enhance population-centered and person-centered care to improve health care services to older persons in rural areas.

Practical implications

There is a need to educate providers about the importance of developing interdisciplinary partnerships. Educational programming illustrates ways to move team building through the interdisciplinary continuum. Dependent upon the needs of the community, other similarly integrated partnership models can be developed.

Originality/value

Transitions of care work for older people tends to be multi- or cross-disciplinary. A model for interdisciplinary training of gerontological practitioners in rural and frontier settings broadens the scope of care and improves the health of the rural older persons served.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant No. DO9HP28677-01-00, Advanced Nursing Education and through the I@UNC innovations grant of the University of Northern Colorado’s Provost Office. This information or content and conclusions are those of the author and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by HRSA, HHS or the US Government.

Citation

Weil, J., Milbrath, G., Sharp, T., McNeill, J., Gilbert, E., Dunemn, K., Patterson, M. and Snyder, A. (2018), "Interdisciplinary partnerships for rural older adults’ transitions of care", Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, Vol. 19 No. 4, pp. 232-241. https://doi.org/10.1108/QAOA-12-2017-0050

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles