Physical assessment skills programme using ultrasound equipment for home care nurses.

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K10506
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Yamagata University (2021-2022); Miyagi University (2018-2020)
• Principal Investigator: SHIDA Junko 山形大学, 医学部, 准教授 (30530654)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 訪問看護師 / 超音波診断装置 / 在宅看護

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As a result of the implementation of the developed programme, visiting nurses were able to perform echo assessments independently in the user's home, leading to appropriate care practice. In addition, based on the issues identified, the plan was revised to verify the clinical significance of the visiting nurses' assessment using the body composition analyser.
Continuous follow-up of an elderly patient discharged home after acute treatment for myocardial infarction confirmed an increase in muscle mass that could not be detected by conventional blood tests or weight changes, and feedback of the results to the patient led to maintenance of motivation for exercise and nutritional therapy. The results showed that assessment with the addition of body composition analysis could improve the accuracy of nurses' clinical judgement and the quality of support.

Free Research Field

在宅看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

エコーの使用経験のない訪問看護師であっても、利用者宅で自立してエコーを活用したフィジカルアセスメントが実践できる能力の獲得が可能であることを示した。エコーを活用したアセスメントは、認定看護師や専門看護師、診療看護師といったスペシャリスト同様に、ジェネラリストの看護師も実施可能なアセスメント技術であることが示された意義は大きい。ならびに、可視化された身体内部の情報を加えてフィジカルアセスメントを行うことにより、訪問看護師が利用者宅で精度の高い臨床判断を自信をもって下すのみならず、それに基づく適切なケアの提供に繋がった。これは、訪問看護の質の向上に貢献する実践であり知見である。