The palliative care education needs of nursing home staff

BACKGROUND: Palliative care is delivered in a number of settings, including nursing homes, where staff often have limited training in palliative care. AIM: We explored the level of palliative care knowledge among qualified staff delivering end-of-life care in nursing home settings, to inform the development of an appropriate education and training programme. DESIGN: An audit of the educational needs assessment was performed using an anonymous postal questionnaire sent to 528 qualified nursing staff within 48 nursing homes. FINDINGS: In total, 227 questionnaires were returned giving a response rate of 43%. Results indicated that less than half the sample had obtained formal training in the area of pain assessment and management and less than a quarter had obtained training in non-malignant conditions. Registered nurses in this study reported a lack of awareness of palliative care principles or national guidelines. CONCLUSION: Qualified nursing home staff agree that palliative care is a valuable model for care in their setting. There are clear opportunities for improvement in nursing home care, based on education and training in palliative care. Results also support the need for enhanced liaison between nursing homes and specialist palliative care services.     

Affecting culture change and performance improvement in Medicaid nursing homes: The Promote Understanding,Leadership, and Learning (PULL) Program

A growing number of nursing homes are implementing culture change programming to create a more homelike environment in which residents and direct care staff are empowered with greater participation in care activities. Although nursing homes that have adopted culture change practices have brought about positive transformation in their settings that have improved quality of care and life, as well as increased resident and staff satisfaction, they represent a minority of all nursing homes. Nursing homes that serve primarily a Medicaid population without supplemental sources of funding have been limited in the resources to support such change processes. The purpose of this project was to gain insight into effective strategies to provide culture change and quality improvement programming to low-performing, under-resourced nursing homes that represent the population of nursing homes least likely to have implemented this programming. Factors that interfered with transformation were identified and insights were gained into factors that need to be considered before transformational processes can be initiated. Effective educational strategies and processes that facilitate change in these types of nursing homes were identified. Despite limitations to the study, there was evidence that the experiences and findings can be of value to other low-performing, under-resourced nursing homes. Ongoing clinical work and research are needed to refine the implementation process and increase the ability to help these settings utilize resources and implement high quality cost effective care to nursing home residents.     

Collaboration and control: nurses' constructions of the role of family in nursing home care

AIM: This paper reports a study examining how nursing home staff experienced working with residents' families. BACKGROUND: Working collaboratively with the family in residential aged care to provide care is consistent with nursing philosophy. The quality of the experience, however, is frequently fraught with problems for both the family and staff involved. Little research has focused on the nature of family involvement in nursing homes from the perspective of nursing home staff. METHODS: The study adopted a naturalistic paradigm. Data were collected from 30 nursing home staff members drawn from a range of metropolitan and rural facilities in Victoria, Australia by means of conversational in-depth interviews. Issues concerned with how participants constructed the role of the family in the nursing home were explored. The data were collected in 2001-2002. RESULTS: Four key elements are presented in this paper: (1) Making the transition; (2) Forming ties; (3) Keeping them at a distance and (4) Unacceptable behaviour. Some nursing home staff have developed a substantive family orientation and had adopted practices which were inclusive of the family. Equally, many attitudes which cast the family into an adversarial and competitive role were noted, and many staff members outlined practices which were indicative of a need to control the family. CONCLUSION: A rhetoric of family partnerships is prevalent in some nursing homes. The activities of staff in these homes are still primarily geared towards provision of physical care, and families' needs become secondary to getting the work done. A new model of practice is needed that sees working collaboratively with families as a legitimate and necessary part of the staff role.     

The quality of nursing home care in Taiwan

This study describes the quality of care in nursing homes in Taiwan using demographic data, functional status measures, resident clinical care outcomes, and resident's ratings of satisfaction with nursing home care. Three hundred and eight randomly selected elderly residents in 13 nursing homes were interviewed through a structured interview process and demographic and medical information was collected from their nursing home records. Nursing home residents were younger and less functional than their counterparts in the United States. Stroke and dementia were the most common primary diagnoses and more than 27% of the residents had a history of urinary tract infections while more than 25% had been physically restrained within the past 3 months. There was no correlation between the number of nursing home staff per resident and the prevalence of selected clinical care outcomes. A moderate level of satisfaction with nursing home care was reported with acceptance of family visits and nursing home cleanliness rating highest, and loss of personal belongings and life as boring rating lowest. Level of satisfaction with nursing home care was positively correlated with the number of RNs and nursing assistants (NAs) on staff. Recommendations for improving the quality of nursing home care in Taiwan include increased recruitment of multidisciplinary professional and technical nursing home staff; restrictions in the use of restraints with development of alternatives; and use of standardized resident assessment, care planning, and evaluation tools. The authors recommend continuing education in geriatric nursing and continued nursing research focusing on identifying structure and process variables that affect clinical care outcomes and satisfaction with nursing home care.     

Family and staff perceptions of the role of families in nursing homes

Family and staff perceptions of the role of families in nursing homes Admission to a nursing home is generally regarded as the termination of family care and the commencement of institutional care. Research suggests that following placement families are often expected to relinquish their dependent older relative to the bureaucracy of the institution. The aim of this study was to investigate family and nursing home staff perceptions of the role of families caring for residents in nursing homes. A convenience sample of 44 family carers and 78 nursing home staff completed questionnaires, and interviews were conducted with 10 family carers and 10 nursing home staff. The results suggest that family carers perceived themselves to have a greater role in caring for relatives than that perceived by the nursing home staff. Either families overestimated their involvement, or staff underestimated family involvement in caring for residents in nursing homes. Families were mostly satisfied with their role and with the care provided in nursing homes. They perceived nurses as providers of technical care and they perceived themselves as having an important role in providing social and emotional care. Families trusted the clinical judgement of the staff but the staff were reluctant to trust family carers, especially in situations where care involved an element of risk. Family roles were limited by members' own ability to care and the dependency of the resident, while professional responsibility and accountability discouraged nurses from sharing some caring roles. The results indicate that families in this study were more willing to help in nursing home care and were perhaps under-valued as a resource within the nursing home setting.     

Nursing staff competence, work strain, stress and satisfaction in elderly care: a comparison of home-based care and nursing homes

Abstract Aims. The aims of this study were to: (1) compare older people care nursing staff's perceptions of their competence, work strain and work satisfaction in nursing homes and home‐based care; and (2) to examine determinants of work satisfaction in both care settings. Background. The shift in older people care from hospitals to community‐based facilities and home care has had implications for nursing practice. Lack of competence development, high levels of work strain and low levels of work satisfaction among nursing staff in both care settings have been associated with high turnover. Few studies have compared staff perceptions of their competence and work in nursing homes as opposed to home‐based care. Design. A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey. Methods. Nursing staff perceptions of their competence, work strain, stress and satisfaction were measured by questionnaire in 2003 in two older people care organizations in Sweden. Comparisons of all outcome variables were made between care settings both within and between the two organizations. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine predictors of work satisfaction in home care and nursing homes respectively. Results. In general, staff in home‐based care reported significantly less sufficient knowledge compared with staff in nursing homes. However, home care staff experienced significantly less physical and emotional strain compared with staff in nursing homes. Ratings of work‐related exhaustion, mental energy and overall work satisfaction did not differ significantly between care settings. In both care settings, work‐related exhaustion was the strongest (inverse) predictor of work satisfaction. Conclusions. Future interventions should focus on counteracting work‐related exhaustion and improving competence development to improve work satisfaction among older people care nursing staff in both care settings. Relevance to clinical practice. Work‐related exhaustion and lack of competence development may have significant negative implications for work satisfaction among older people care nursing staff in both home care and nursing homes.     

Evaluating a palliative care education project in nursing homes

This article reports on an evaluation of a 2-year palliative care education project for nursing home staff. The aim of the project was to provide education for all levels of nursing home staff so that the care of dying residents could be improved. In order to ascertain the outcomes of the initiative two approaches to data collection were adopted. Case studies of four participating nursing homes were undertaken, involving a period of participant observation and interviews with staff members. A postal survey of the participating nursing homes and non-participating nursing homes from the same geographical region was also carried out. The impact of the project is described, identifying how the care of residents and their relatives was affected, the differing impact on the participating staff groups and the degree to which the organizational practices of the nursing homes changed. Although the project influenced course members' practice, the provision of courses such as these was recognized to be insufficient to ensure widespread organizational changes. Questions regarding the effectiveness of education as an agent of organizational change were raised throughout the project and the evaluation.     

Nursing home staff's views on quality improvement interventions: a follow-up study

Ongoing problems with nursing home care mandates understanding nursing home staff's perspectives on innovative quality improvement programs. This follow-up study used focus groups to examine the experiences of staff who participated in a clinical trial that involved Quality Indicator (QI) feedback reports, quality improvement training, and APN consultation. The authors found that QI reports provided staff with a benchmark to judge their care and a means to track problems; APN consultation was essential for staff to learn best practices; and staff questioned the validity of the QI reports, which hindered them from seeking new solutions to problems identified in the QI reports. Findings indicate that innovative QI programs and APN consultation can positively influence nursing home quality improvement efforts and improve care.     

Raising the profile of care home nursing through collaborative working

AimTo explore the innovative educational practices of two care home teams based in the United Kingdom (UK). Both homes aimed to provide education and developmental opportunities so that they could further deliver effective nursing care to residents. Through such practices, the care homes sought to enhance nursing career development and improve workforce retention.Meeting the long-term care needs of older people remains a challenge and the nursing workforce need to be adequately supported to deliver effective care. Employers have an important role in supporting the educational and developmental needs of nursing staff so that they can fulfil their challenging roles.ConclusionUsing several approaches to nursing education and development, the care homes described in this Discussion Paper were able to show positive impact. Considering the care home workforce shortage and employability churn, it is hoped these ideas can offer inspiration to others in the sector.     

Barriers and facilitators of oral health care experienced by nursing home staff

Objectives to explore attitudes, perceptions, and perceived barriers to and the perceived facilitators of daily oral health care and the actual daily oral health care performances among nursing home staff.Methods A mixed methods study in 21 nursing homes was completed; a) questionnaires for nursing staff and managers; b) focus group interviews with nursing staff.Results 409 (21%) questionnaires were completed by nursing staff and 14 focus group interviews organized.Conclusions attitude was not a barrier in this study, while oral care was not performed according to guidelines. Nursing staff reported a lack of products, while toothbrushes are available. The most frequently mentioned barriers were lack of support of dental staff, oral care for clients with cognitive impairment, and a lack of education. Increasing facilitators could be; more (practical) education combined with tailored advice from internal dental staff.Where and on whom will the research have an impact?Nursing home staff, nursing home organizations/ managers and dental professionals working in nursing homes.     

Do nursing homes for older people have the support they need to provide end-of-life care? A mixed methods enquiry in England

Nursing homes are a common site of death, but older residents receive variable quality of end-of-life care. We used a mixed methods design to identify external influences on the quality of end-of-life care in nursing homes. Two qualitative case studies were conducted and a postal survey of 180 nursing homes surrounding the case study sites. In the case studies, qualitative interviews were held with seven members of nursing home staff and 10 external staff. Problems in accessing support for end-of-life care reported in the survey included variable support by general practitioners (GPs), reluctance among GPs to prescribe appropriate medication, lack of support from other agencies, lack of out of hours support, cost of syringe drivers and lack of access to training. Most care homes were implementing a care pathway. Those that were not rated their end-of-life care as in need of improvement or as average. The case studies suggest that critical factors in improving end-of-life care in nursing homes include developing clinical leadership, developing relationships with GPs, the support of 'key' external advocates and leverage of additional resources by adoption of care pathway tools.     

Family involvement in timely detection of changes in health of nursing homes residents: A qualitative exploratory study

Aims and objectives

To explore family perspectives on their involvement in the timely detection of changes in their relatives' health in UK nursing homes.

Background

Increasingly, policy attention is being paid to the need to reduce hospitalisations for conditions that, if detected and treated in time, could be managed in the community. We know that family continue to be involved in the care of their family members once they have moved into a nursing home. Little is known, however, about family involvement in the timely detection of changes in health in nursing home residents.

Design

Qualitative exploratory study with thematic analysis.

Methods

A purposive sampling strategy was applied. Fourteen semi‐structured one‐to‐one interviews with family members of people living in 13 different UK nursing homes. Data were collected from November 2015–March 2016.

Results

Families were involved in the timely detection of changes in health in three key ways: noticing signs of changes in health, informing care staff about what they noticed and educating care staff about their family members' changes in health. Families suggested they could be supported to detect timely changes in health by developing effective working practices with care staff.

Conclusion

Families can provide a special contribution to the process of timely detection in nursing homes. Their involvement needs to be negotiated, better supported, as well as given more legitimacy and structure within the nursing home.

Relevance to clinical practice

Families could provide much needed support to nursing home nurses, care assistants and managers in timely detection of changes in health. This may be achieved through communication about their preferred involvement on a case‐by‐case basis as well as providing appropriate support or services.     

A Measure of Palliative Care in Nursing Homes

ContextEfforts to improve care for nursing home residents stand to be enhanced by measures to assess the degree to which staff provide palliative care. As the incidence of death in nursing homes increases with the aging population, the gap in measurement must be addressed. To that end, we report the development and psychometric testing of a nursing home palliative care survey.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Palliative Care Survey (PCS) for use in nursing homes.MethodsPsychometric evaluation of the instrument was completed in two phases. Phase 1 focused on individual item analyses and subsequent revision or deletion of items, and Phase 2 evaluated evidence for reliability and validity. Phase 1 included 26 nursing homes and staff (n = 717), and Phase 2 included 85 nursing homes and staff (n = 2779). Data were analyzed using item-total correlations, Cronbach’s alpha, confirmatory factor analysis, and analysis of variance.ResultsSupport was obtained for a 51-item PCS made up of two constructs, Palliative Care Practice and Palliative Care Knowledge.ConclusionThe PCS measures the extent to which the nursing home staff engage in palliative care practices and have knowledge consistent with good end-of-life care. Both practice and knowledge are an essential foundation to providing good end-of-life care to nursing home residents. Efforts to improve care for the dying in nursing homes have been slowed by an absence of measurement tools that capture care processes, a gap that the PCS reported here helps fill.     

Using quality improvement to address pain management practices in nursing homes

The objective of this study was to test whether a quality improvement intervention can improve pain management in nursing homes. Experts in quality improvement and clinical pain management provided nursing home staff leaders with feedback on pain quality indicator data, education in pain management, and technical assistance to apply the Plan-Do-Study-Act model of quality improvement. Trained abstractors completed structured chart audits at baseline and five months to capture quality indicator data related to pain assessment and treatment. Residents in pain who underwent pain assessments increased from 8% to 29% (P < 0.001). Residents receiving non-pharmacological pain treatments increased from 31% to 42% (P = 0.010), but pain medication use did not change. Among residents with daily moderate or excruciating pain, complete pain assessment was associated with increased probability of pain medication use. Quality improvement is a promising method to improve pain management in nursing homes.     

Death in the nursing home: resident, family, and staff perspectives

The actual experience of dying in the United States is far different from the expressed desires of most Americans. Although most Americans express a preference for dying at home, 73% of Americans die in medical institutions, with 23% dying in nursing homes (Teno, 2004). In this article, the author examines end-of-life care in the nursing home. A literature review identified more than 100 published articles relevant to end-of-life care in nursing homes. Of these, the author evaluated empirical research studies from the perspectives of residents, family members, and nursing home staff with findings specific to seriously ill nursing home residents. By identifying problematic issues and contributing factors, nurses can modify their practice to improve end-of-life care and substantially reduce suffering for nursing home residents and their families.     

Attachment/detachment: forces influencing care of the dying in long-term care

Death occurs among older adults in institutions more often than at home with family and friends. The older people are, the more likely they are to die in a nursing home. The purpose of this study was to describe staff and administrator's perspectives on death and dying in long-term care and to explore problems in providing humane care to dying residents that fosters gentle closure to life. Using focus group interviews as the primary data collection method, 22 focus group sessions were conducted in 11 nursing homes. Separate group sessions were held for staff and administrators in the nursing homes. The core variable identified in this study was the attachment of staff to residents in long term care. Attachment enhanced the quality of terminal care and fostered a gentle closure to life. Mediating forces influencing the process of attachment were identified as individual forces, as well as forces internal and external to the nursing home.     

Barriers to safe medication administration in the nursing home--exploring staff perceptions and concerns about the medication use process

The purpose of this study was to explore staff perceptions and concerns about the medication use process in the nursing home setting. A total of 76 staff members from 5 nursing homes in 3 Midwestern states participated in key informant interviews and focus groups. Common themes included issues related to communication, competing demands, and the challenges of a paper-based medication administration record. Concerns frequently were associated with the timeliness and accuracy of the medication administration process. Recognition of staff concerns are an important first step in improving the nursing home medication use process. Staff insight provided clarification related to impediments to safe medication practices. This study provides insight into how technology can improve the nursing home medication use process.     

Pain assessment practices with nursing home residents

The purpose of this research was to describe the kinds of pain assessments nursing home staff use with nursing home residents and the characteristics and behaviors of residents that staff consider as they assess pain. Twenty-one focus groups were held in 12 nursing homes. Nurses and other nursing home staff attended the focus groups. Coding techniques consistent with ethnographic methodology were used for data analysis. Four themes identified an underlying uncertainty in assessing residents' pain, the staff relationship-centered approach to pain assessment, the resident cues that alert staff to pain, and residents' characteristics important to the nursing assessment. Composition of focus groups made a difference in participation of certified nursing assistants in focus group discussion. Urban and rural differences were noted across the focus groups. Research is needed to further refine pain assessment techniques specifically for nursing home settings.