A realist synthesis review of the discharge process for people with dementia transitioning from the acute to the community

The process of discharging People living With a Dementia (PWD) is commonly recognised amongst staff and families as a complex disjointed process (Bauer et al 2009; CQC 2014; OECD 2015). The Alzheimer's Society (2009) states... [ view full abstract ]

The process of discharging People living With a Dementia (PWD) is commonly recognised amongst staff and families as a complex disjointed process (Bauer et al 2009; CQC 2014; OECD 2015). The Alzheimer's Society (2009) states that when PWD are admitted to hospital they stay longer and are more likely to receive poor care. Dementia care is complicated and the discharge process is recognised as inconsistent and discombobulated.
The realist approach has become increasingly popular amongst healthcare practitioners in allowing them to understand complex social situations and interventions. A realist synthesis (RS) approach to this problem explains the successes and failures of complex interventions (Wong et al, 2013) and provides valuable insight and more helpful guidance, as oppose to the more superficial recommendations that staff, PWD and their families are currently bombarded with (Alzheimer’s society 2014; NHS 2015; CQC 2014). This fairly new method of reviewing has proven to be more valuable in understanding the intricate working of the hundreds of administrative and clinical steps required in the discharge process of PWD.
This approach has not been done before and many RS studies prove advantageous in providing a deeper level of analysis in what works for PWD . Programme theories have been developed and tested with stakeholders in the field. A poster presenting the findings of the results may allow other students to see the benefits of the approach and how it was applied to the complex process that is discharge. This research is a part of a doctoral study.