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Nurses’ Support for Psychiatric Inpatients Who Are to Be Discharged to the
Remote Island Where They Grew Up

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M. HIsamatsu, A. Yamashita, and H. Yoshii 3
Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, Kumamoto Health Science University, Japan,
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Department of Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Japan, and
Department of Nursing, Kagoshima University Hospital, Japan
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Background: The treatment location for persons with mental disorders is shifting from hospitals to
community. However, it has been noted that regional differences in mental health, medical care, and
welfare lead to rehospitalization of discharged patients. Therefore, establishing discharge support
methods for regions with few mental health, medical care, and welfare services, such as in remote
islands and areas, is crucial.

Objective: This study aimed to identify nurses’ support for psychiatric inpatients’ discharge to the
remote islands where they grew up in Japan.

Methods: The participants were 10 nurses working in the wards of three psychiatric hospitals.
The survey focuses on the details of support for discharge to the remote islands. Semi-structured
interviews were conducted from November 2022 to February 2024. Data were analyzed by using
qualitative descriptive methods. The study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of
Kumamoto Health Sciences University.

Results: Following are the four categories of support for discharge to the remote island where the
patient grew up: “improve adherence to medication and ability to manage physical condition,”
“consider the possibility of discharge to the remote island,” “provide support for continuation of life
after discharge to the remote island,” and “consider a group home as a step toward discharge home.”

Poster Presentation Abstracts
Conclusion: Improving adherence of patients to medication and the ability to manage their physical
condition is necessary for discharge to remote islands where psychiatric care is limited. Furthermore,
for patients to live a less isolated life on the islands, coordination with their family and cooperation with
health and medical welfare institutions on the remote islands are imperative.

Keywords: discharge support, mental disorder, recovery, remote island

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Correspondence: Misako HIsamatsu, Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, Kumamoto
Health Science University, Japan
E-mail: hisamatsu@kumamoto-hsu.ac.jp

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