[Present situation of home care and roles of nurses at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital--through the 5-year home care support activities].

Diseases, details of interventions, medical cares provided and the condition of use and services of local medical institutions were investigated in the home care support activities during the period from November 1997 to March 2003. We intervened in 1,309 patients. 70% of them were terminal patients with malignant tumor. Interventions were mostly consultations about the life under medical care, guidance about HPN/tube feeding, consultations about nursing and coordination with local medical institutions. 422 of them were under care of family doctors. 502 of them used visiting nursing. 70% of the patients under care of the hospital required high-tech home care and home hospice care. The 5-year activities indicate that nurses who support home care at the hospitals providing acute medical care are expected to (1) serve as the consultation contact for patients and families, (2) support the life under medical care in consultation with internal and external related professionals, (3) use social resources, (4) serve as the contact for providing the logistic support under an emergent situation or under the lack of care-giving capabilities, (5) provide guidance for the safe use of high-tech home medical care by patients/families at the discharge, (6) communicate or coordinate with local medical institutions for continued care/nursing and (7) develop/support the flexible and convenient distribution system of medical equipment and medical materials/drugs or the 24 hour healthcare support system jointly with private enterprises.