Home care workers' judgments about users' acute conditions: A qualitative study on interprofessional collaboration.

Home care workers' (HCWs) approaches to home care users' acute symptoms are critical for users' safety and quality of life. However, the processes of these approaches are unclear. This study investigates how HCWs assess users' conditions. Focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews with HCWs were conducted in a rural Japanese city. HCWs' decisions were affected by interactions and previous relationships with care managers, home care nurses, physicians, and users' families. Rural HCWs act flexibly, changing the professionals and families they consult with. Understanding HCWs' behaviors and improving relationships among medical/care professionals and families can improve management of users' acute conditions.