MAKIKO MUYA

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the available service information on small-scale multifunctional in-home nursing care (KANTAKI) and its operational status via text mining. Methods: We obtained nationwide textual information on KANTAKI from the Nursing Care Service Information Disclosure System and the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, and analyzed the characteristics of the word usage using KH Coder. The number of users and employees and the implementation of services were compared among the facilities that used terms relating to medical dependency and end-of-life care, which are KANTAKI characteristics, and with other facilities. Results: The facilities that used terms relating to medical dependency and end-of-life care showed significantly more users requiring nursing care level 5 and more full-time nursing staff than those not using such terms. Moreover, regarding service provision, the rate of procedures was significantly higher in 11 of 12 items, except for stoma. Conclusion: The facilities that use terms relating to medical dependency and end-of-life care in their information have more users and provide a greater variety of services. In the future, educational support is required to enable facility managers to understand the services and translate them into their work.

Background Japan is a superaging society unparalleled in the world. Elderly people who need medical care do not receive adequate support in the community. As a new service to address this issue, a small-scale multifunctional in-home care nursing service called Kantaki was created in 2012. Kantaki, in collaboration with a primary physician, operates 24 hours a day and provides various nursing services (home visits, home care, day care, and overnight stays) to older people living in the community. The Japanese Nursing Association is working hard to promote this system; however, its low utilization rate is an issue. Objective This study aimed to determine factors influencing the utilization rate of Kantaki facilities. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire on the operation of Kantaki was sent to all administrators of Kantaki facilities operating in Japan from October 1 to December 31, 2020. A multiple regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with a high utilization rate. Results Responses from 154 of the 593 facilities were analyzed. The average utilization rate for all valid responding facilities was 79.4%. The average number of actual users and the break-even point were almost equal, resulting in little surplus profit from facility operations. A multiple regression analysis showed that factors that had a significant impact on the utilization rate included the break-even point, a surplus of users relative to the break-even point (ie, the margin of revenues), the number of months in office of the administrator, the type of corporation (ie, nonprofit), and Kantaki’s profit from operating home-visit nursing offices. The break-even point, a surplus of users relative to the break-even point, and the number of months in office of the administrator were robust. In addition, support for reducing the burden on family helpers, a service sought by the system, significantly and negatively affected the utilization rate. In the analysis that removed the most influential factors, the cooperation of the home-visit nursing office, Kantaki’s profit from operating the home-visit nursing office, and the number of full-time care workers were significantly related. Conclusions To improve the utilization rate, managers need to stabilize their organization and increase profitability. However, a positive relationship was found between the break-even point and utilization rate, suggesting that simply increasing users did not contribute to cost reduction. Moreover, providing services that meet the needs of individual clients may result in lower utilization rates. These results, which are inconsistent with common sense, reflect the divergence between the assumptions underlying the system’s design and actual conditions. To solve these issues, institutional reforms, such as an increase in nursing care fee points, may be necessary.

Objectives: In order to cope with a rapidly aging national population, the Japanese government promotes the use of a comprehensive community care system known as Kantaki, which was established in 2012. Aimed at older populations, Kantaki offers a variety of services, including home-visit nursing care, day care, and overnight care. This study clarified the factors that affect the estimated revenue of Kantaki services through a secondary analysis of detailed information released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). Our goal was to provide information that may facilitate the stable management of Kantaki operations across Japan. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of official statistics data and detailed information released by the MHLW in April 2020. As such, we calculated the estimated revenue for Kantaki services. We then conducted a logistic regression analysis with estimated revenue set as the dependent variable in order to assess the magnitude of each influencing factor. Results: A total of 594 multifunctional in-home long-term care services were established. Of these, 506 met the requirements for Kantaki set in this study’s analysis. The logistic regression analysis showed that items with large odds ratios included tube feeding (2.59), enhanced working conditions for care workers (I) (2.58), and colostomy/ileostomy care (1.76). Conclusion: To achieve stable management practices for Kantaki, it is important to handle at-home medical needs through the use of skilled care workers, who must be properly trained and ensured stable employment.

Purpose: To identify the behavioral characteristics of nurses working in nursing multifunctional in-home long-term care service (Kantaki). Methods: Semi-structured personal face-to-face interviews based on Behavioral Event Interview were conducted with 29 nurses who were rated as excellent job performers by the director of Kantaki, followed by qualitative descriptive analysis of the interview data. Results: Two categories were extracted as desired care outcomes: “improvement of the quality of life of patients and their families” and “improvement of the quality of care provided to patients and their families.” Additionally, eight subcategories were extracted. Organizing the content that was thought to lead to these outcomes, the following seven categories and 37 subcategories were extracted as the caregiving practices of the nurses: 1) remain close to the care receiver, 2) draw out the strengths of the care receiver and their family and encourage them to use those strengths to improve life, 3) provide flexible care tailored to the individual’s needs, 4) protect life, 5) support end-of-life care, 6) create a comfortable space for the care receiver, and 7) mobilize a team to support the care receiver. Conclusion: Nurses’ behavioral characteristics were expected to promote the role of Kantaki which enables the elderly to continue living in their own homes and communities until the end of their lives.

以前に勤務していた病院を退職後1年以内に他の病院に再就職した看護師13名(平均年齢32.5歳)に半構造的面接を行った。再就職した組織での知識・技術・規範・役割的側面において新たに学習したことや、新たに学習するプロセスで成長できたと思うこと等について聴取し、語られた内容を質的帰納的に分析した。その結果、1)新規参入した部署で必要な知識・技術を身につける、2)再就職を機に看護の幅を広げる、3)既存職員に配慮したコミュニケーション能力を磨く、4)習得してきたスキルを病院の業務基準・業務手順に合わせて修正する、5)病院のマニュアルに忠実に従う、6)病院の運営方針に則り業務を遂行する、7)過去の実務経験で培った価値判断に基づいて行動する、8)妥協点を見つけて部署のルールを受け入れる、9)部署の独自ルールは変えられないと割り切りながら業務をこなす、10)実践力を活かして求められる役割を遂行する、11)再就職を機に看護とは何かを見つめなおす、の11カテゴリーが抽出された。

[Background] To promote an integrated community care system, the Japanese government created a multifunctional long-term care service model called Kantaki in 2012, aiming to provide a combination of services such as short-stay, day-care, and home visit by aides and/or nurses to meet various client needs. However, it is unclear how well this model has been utilized and accessed throughout Japan.[Objective] This study aimed to understand the distribution status of Kantaki through a secondary analysis of information on its operations and population trends released by public institutions.[Methods] The study determined the number of Kantaki, Shotaki (a service that is similar to the Kantaki model except it does not provide home visit service by nurses), and visiting nurse stations from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website registry. Population trend information was collected from the national census. Statistical processing included a correlation analysis using descriptive analysis and Spearman's correlation coefficient.[Results] As of December 31, 2018, there were 479 Kantaki operations throughout Japan. The mean number of Kantaki operations by prefecture was 10.19 ± 10.51. Of the municipalities, 233 (13.5%) out of 1,724 had Kantaki operations available. The number of Shotaki (.765), number of visiting nurse stations (.747), population (.703), population density (.513), and the rate of aging (-.442) were found to have a significant correlation with the number of Kantaki operations present.[Discussion] The number of Kantaki operations showed a large variation across regions, with a higher prevalence in population-dense urban areas, and lower prevalence in regions with a high aging rate. This reveals the distribution model is unrelated to the elderly population, who can be potential clients, and must be affected by other reasons such as staffing issues and operating costs. To promote Kantaki throughout Japan, such operational issues should be analyzed further.

AIM: This study attempts to develop a scale measuring job satisfaction in Japanese hospital nurses. METHODS: The authors developed items for a new scale measuring job satisfaction and determined the scale's internal and external validity. Based on this analysis, the authors then modified the scale after conducting two surveys. In Survey 1, the scale was tested on 600 nurses from two hospitals and items were selected based on item and factor analyses. In Survey 2, items were further refined based on responses from 800 nurses from four hospitals. Using these responses, the authors determined the reliability and validity of the scale. RESULTS: A 37 item job satisfaction scale was developed through examination of internal and external validity and based on the results of item analysis. Through factor analysis, four factors - "positive emotions toward work", "appropriate support from superiors", "perceived significance in the workplace", and "pleasant working environment" - and 28 items were extracted. The cumulative contribution rate was 43.9%. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.91. The correlations found between sense of satisfaction with work, burnout, and self-esteem supported the scale's concurrent and construct validity. CONCLUSION: The authors were successful in developing a scale measuring hospital nurses' job satisfaction. The surveys conducted using this scale identified factors associated with work achievement and capability development, including "positive emotions toward work" and "perceived significance in the workplace", neither of which have been covered by existing scales.