Development of a model of factors influencing practical multidisciplinary collaboration skills in convalescent rehabilitation ward nurses: A structural equation modeling analysis

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the factors influencing nurses’ practical multidisciplinary collaboration skills in convalescent rehabilitation wards and team outcomes through a questionnaire-based survey and structural equation modeling. Methods: We conducted an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey of 401 nurses working in convalescent rehabilitation wards in nine prefectures located in the Shin-etsu, Hokuriku, and Tokai regions of Japan. The survey data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results: A total of 170 nurses provided valid responses (a valid response rate of 42.4%). The mean length of the respondents’ nursing experience was 18.9 years, with a standard deviation of ±10.7 years. The mean length of their nursing experience in a convalescent rehabilitation ward was 4.4 years, with a standard deviation of ±3.7 years. We found that the ability of nurses to collaborate with coworkers in a multidisciplinary team in convalescent rehabilitation wards was associated with sharing post-discharge lifestyle instructions at pre-discharge conferences, monitoring skills and communication skills, which in turn influenced the extent of collaboration and satisfaction with team activities. Conclusion: Improving the multidisciplinary collaboration skills of nurses working in convalescent rehabilitation wards requires coordination and the support of other multidisciplinary team members to facilitate patients’ discharge. The provision of support for the improvement of monitoring and communication skills is also necessary.