Implementation difficulties and solutions for a smart-clothes assisted home nursing care program for older adults with dementia or recovering from hip fracture.

BACKGROUND: Wearable devices have the advantage of always being with individuals, enabling easy detection of their movements. Smart clothing can provide feedback to family caregivers of older adults with disabilities who require in-home care. METHODS: This study describes the process of setting up a smart technology-assisted (STA) home-nursing care program, the difficulties encountered, and strategies applied to improve the program. The STA program utilized a smart-vest, designed specifically for older persons with dementia or recovering from hip-fracture surgery. The smart-vest facilitated nurses' and family caregivers' detection of a care receiver's movements via a remote-monitoring system. Movements included getting up at night, time spent in the bathroom, duration of daytime immobility, leaving the house, and daily activity. Twelve caregivers of older adults and their care receiver participated; care receivers included persons recovering from hip fracture (n = 5) and persons living with dementia (n = 7). Data about installation of the individual STA in-home systems, monitoring, and technical difficulties encountered were obtained from researchers' reports. Qualitative data about the caregivers' and care receivers' use of the system were obtained from homecare nurses' reports, which were explored with thematic analysis. RESULTS: Compiled reports from the research team identified three areas of difficulty with the system: incompatibility with the home environment, which caused extra hours of manpower and added to the cost of set-up and maintenance; interruptions in data transmissions, due to system malfunctions; and inaccuracies in data transmissions, due to sensors on the smart-vest. These difficulties contributed to frustration experienced by caregivers and care receivers. CONCLUSIONS: The difficulties encountered impeded implementation of the STA home nursing care. Each of these difficulties had their own unique problems and strategies to resolve them. Our findings can provide a reference for future implementation of similar smart-home systems, which could facilitate ease-of-use for family caregivers.

The enrichment process for family caregivers of persons living with dementia: A grounded theory approach.

AIM: Many persons living with dementia (PLWD) reside in the community and are cared for by family members. The aim of this qualitative study was to gain an understanding the enrichment process for family caregivers of PLWD in Taiwan. DESIGN: A grounded theory approach with face-to-face semi-structured interviews was conducted with family caregivers of PLWD in Taiwan. METHODS: Interview data from 30 family caregivers of PLWD recruited from dementia clinics or support groups in Taiwan were obtained from the first wave of a larger study conducted from January 2018 to September 2021. Glaser's grounded theory approach with theoretical sampling was used to understand the enrichment process of family caregivers of PLWD. RESULTS: Analysis indicated the core category that characterized the process of enrichment was 'holding together'. Caregivers were able to maintain their connection to the person with dementia through activities that deepened their relationship and strengthened their bond. 'Holding together' included four components: maintaining continuity, creative interactions, interacting with humour and sharing pleasurable activities. Through these components, family caregivers generated positive interactions and relationships with the person living with dementia and sustained their motivation for caregiving. Three modifying elements facilitated or impeded the process of holding together: 'previous daily interactions', 'caregiving beliefs' and 'filial piety'. CONCLUSION: Through the enrichment process of 'holding together', family caregivers used different strategies to conduct pleasurable and meaningful activities with the person living with dementia to maintain and improve their relationship and enhance their happiness in life. IMPACT: To facilitate the enrichment process, health care providers should encourage activities between family caregivers and PLWD that promote continuity, increase interactions, provide humour and foster pleasurable activities. REPORTING METHOD: This study adhered to the COREQ guideline checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

Predictors of rewarded caregiving for family caregivers of person with dementia: A longitudinal study.

The purpose of this study was to explore variables associated with rewarded caregiving for family caregivers of persons living with dementia over a 2-year follow-up. This correlational longitudinal study was comprised of 200 family caregivers of persons living with dementia from neurological clinics of a medical center was conducted. Dichotomous scoring of the Rewards of Caregiving Scale of the Family Caregiving Inventory resulted in 61 (30.5%) caregivers being assigned to the well-rewarded group and 139 (69.5%) to the poorly reward group at baseline. Variables included characteristics of family caregivers and their care receivers and assessments with validated scales of caregivers' social support and dyadic relational variables of mutuality, preparedness, and balance. Analysis at baseline showed significant predictors of well-rewarded family caregivers were being an adult child of the care receiver, having a high perceived level mutuality and having a high perceived level of preparedness. These three variables remained as significant predictors at the 1- and 2-year follow-up. Caregivers with high levels of perceived mutuality and preparedness at 2-years were seven times more likely to perceive themselves as well-rewarded. Based on the findings, developing clinical interventions that focus on promoting mutuality and preparedness for family caregivers of persons with dementia could allow caregivers to perceive their role as rewarding. Attention should also be paid to the relationship between the caregiver and care receiver to enhance the family caregiver's feelings of mutuality and preparedness.

Effectiveness of a health education program for people with dementia and their family caregivers: An intervention by nurse practitioners.

PURPOSE: This study assesses the effectiveness of a health education program on caregiving outcomes for people with dementia and their families. METHODS: This quasi-experimental study involved 250 people with dementia and their family caregivers. Behavioral problems in people with dementia were assessed using the Chinese version of the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory-community form. Family caregiver outcomes were measured using the Agitation Management Self-Efficacy Scale, Caregiver Preparedness Scale, Competence Scale, and Community Resource Awareness and Utilization Assessment. RESULTS: Following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in terms of self-efficacy, preparedness, competence, and awareness and utilization of community resources among family caregivers. Additionally, the experimental group exhibited lower levels of behavioral problems among people with dementia. CONCLUSIONS: This study helped improve caregiving outcomes for people with dementia and their family caregivers. Therefore, outpatient healthcare providers can utilize these findings to enhance care for this population.

Mediating effects of predictability between caregiving demands and caregiving consequences for persons living with dementia: A longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to examine the role of predictability in the relationship between caregiving demands and caregiving consequences. DESIGN: This 2-year longitudinal survey study collected from self-report questionnaires. A convenience sample of family caregivers of older persons living with dementia were recruited from a neurology clinic. RESULTS: A total of 200 family caregivers were recruited to participate. Analysis indicated predictability was a partial mediator between caregiving demand and caregiver consequences of role strain, depressive symptoms and both physical and mental components of health-related quality of life at the 2-year follow. Predictability accounted for 25 %, 28.8 %, 15.3 % and 46.5 % of the relationship between caregiving demand and caregiving consequences of role strain, depressive symptoms, physical- and mental-health related quality of life, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The contributions of caregiving demand to outcomes of caregiver consequences were in part due family caregivers perceived predictability for caregiving.

Dementia care practices among community healthcare workers in Vietnam: a qualitative descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Vietnam is one of the most rapidly aging countries in the world and the likelihood that someone may have dementia rises dramatically as the population ages. Although caring for persons living with dementia is important, little is known about the circumstances under which community healthcare professionals in Vietnam provide dementia care. This study aimed to describe the practice of caring for persons with dementia among community healthcare professionals in Vietnam. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted with 23 community healthcare professionals recruited from 10 primary healthcare centers, representing 10 of 24 districts in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Participants were physicians (n = 11), physician's assistants (n = 8) and community nurses (n = 4). Data were collected through in-depth face-to-face semi-structured interviews. Interview data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the 23 participants was 44.6 ± 8.8 years; most were female (n = 16, 69.6%); and the mean time of working in the field of dementia care was 15.9 ± 8.4 years. Analysis of the interview data revealed five categories, which informed how care was provided: 1) Knowledge about dementia and its prevalence among older adults; 2) Identification of dementia in Vietnam; 3) Lack of attention to early diagnosis of dementia and difficulty in providing continuous care; 4) Dependence on family members for prompt and continuous care; and 5) challenges to providing dementia care. Despite having knowledge about dementia, some healthcare professionals incorrectly viewed dementia as an inevitable part of the ageing process. Participants reported that their limited training and practical experience in caring for persons with dementia caused a lack of confidence in dementia care. CONCLUSIONS: The quality of care provided to persons living with dementia was negatively impacted by the limited training of healthcare personnel. The diagnosis, treatment, and provision of supportive services to persons living with dementia and their families are substantial challenges for the Vietnamese healthcare system. It is crucial to initiate and cultivate dementia care education programs aimed at expanding curricula for physicians, physicians' assistants, and nurses.

Enhancing Nurse-Robot Engagement: Two-Wave Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Robots are introduced into health care contexts to assist health care professionals. However, we do not know how the benefits and maintenance of robots influence nurse-robot engagement. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine how the benefits and maintenance of robots and nurses' personal innovativeness impact nurses' attitudes to robots and nurse-robot engagement. METHODS: Our study adopted a 2-wave follow-up design. We surveyed 358 registered nurses in operating rooms in a large-scale medical center in Taiwan. The first-wave data were collected from October to November 2019. The second-wave data were collected from December 2019 to February 2020. In total, 344 nurses participated in the first wave. We used telephone to follow up with them and successfully followed-up with 331 nurses in the second wave. RESULTS: Robot benefits are positively related to nurse-robot engagement (ß=.13, P<.05), while robot maintenance requirements are negatively related to nurse-robot engagement (ß=-.15, P<.05). Our structural model fit the data acceptably (comparative fit index=0.96, incremental fit index=0.96, nonnormed fit index=0.95, root mean square error of approximation=0.075). CONCLUSIONS: Our study is the first to examine how the benefits and maintenance requirements of assistive robots influence nurses' engagement with them. We found that the impact of robot benefits on nurse-robot engagement outweighs that of robot maintenance requirements. Hence, robot makers should consider emphasizing design and communication of robot benefits in the health care context.

How do three components of professional commitment influence nurse-reported patient-centred care and care quality?

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To test how the three components of professional commitment (i.e. affective, continuance and normative professional commitment) are associated with nurse-reported patient-centred care and care quality. BACKGROUND: Patient-centred care and care quality are the two critical care outcomes. However, no study has yet examined how the three components of professional commitment are related to nurse-reported patient-centred care and care quality, showing a research gap. DESIGN: This study adopted a two-wave design (first wave in 2017 and second wave in 2019), which is known to reduce the possibility of reverse causality, and which was conducted in a large hospital in Northern Taiwan. METHODS: Proportionate random sampling was used. Full-time nurses were surveyed, while nursing students, interns, nurse practitioners and nursing supervisors were excluded. The first wave included 524 nurses, and 438 nurses were retained in the second wave. We used confirmatory factor analysis to verify the psychometric properties of the measures. Structural equation modelling was used to implement hypothesis testing. We used the Professional Commitment Scale of Meyer et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 1993, 78, 538), the Patient-Centered Care Scale of Laird-Fick et al. (Patient Education and Counseling, 2011, 84, 90) and the Care Quality Perceptions Scale of Teng et al. (Journal of Nursing Management, 2010, 18, 275). The STROBE statement was chosen as the EQUATOR checklist. RESULTS: Affective professional commitment was positively associated with nurse-reported patient-centred care (ß = .18, p = .002 and .01), which was positively associated with nurse-reported care quality (ß = .85, p < .001). Affective and normative professional commitment were also positively associated with nurse-reported care quality (ß = .17, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings offer insights for nursing managers that nurses' affective and normative professional commitment could help upgrade care outcomes. Hospital managers should consider professional commitment as relevant to their workforce. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nursing managers could publicise reports documenting nurses' significant contributions to public health. This could strengthen affective professional commitment among nurses.

Factors associated with the intention to engage in care planning among persons with mild cognitive impairment and dementia.

This study examined factors associated with the intention to engage in advance care planning among persons with cognitive impairment. This cross-sectional study recruited 116 persons with cognitive impairment by convenience sampling from two teaching hospitals in Northern Taiwan from November 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. Fewer than 50% of the participants intended to engage in advance care planning, and less than 10% signed the living will for hospice and palliative care. Multivariate linear regression determined factors influencing advance care planning intention included education level, a proxy signed do-not-resuscitate document, belief that family members would provide a signed do-not-resuscitate at their end-of-life, and necessity of explaining future care in advance. It is recommended to popularize advance care planning education and ensure the rights of persons with cognitive impairment to enable them to fully participate in their own care plans through family-centered advance care planning.

Trajectories of social support are associated with health outcomes and depressive symptoms among older Taiwanese adults with diabetes following hip-fracture surgery.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined trajectories of social support and their relationships with health outcomes over 2 years post hip-fracture surgery for older adults with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of data derived from a clinical trial, which included 158 hip fractured older adults with DM who had completed the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey at 1-, 12-, 18-, and 24-months following hospital discharge. Health outcomes for self-care, physical and nutritional status, mental health, and depression were assessed at 3-month intervals up to 24-months after hospital discharge. Trajectories of social support were derived with latent class analysis while hierarchical linear models were employed to assess the associations of social-support trajectory with health outcomes. RESULTS: Four social-support trajectories were derived for persons with DM following hip-fracture surgery: poor and declining (n = 18, 11.4%), moderate and stable (n = 29, 18.4%), high but declining (n = 34, 21.5%), and high and stable (n = 77, 48.7%). Relative to those in the poor and declining group, participants in the high and stable trajectory group performed better in Activities of Daily Living and quadriceps muscle power, had better mental Health-Related Quality of Life and nutritional status, and had fewer depressive symptoms. These differences persisted over the 2 years following hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest social support for persons with DM should be continually assessed following hip-fracture surgery.

Smart clothes-assisted home-nursing care program for family caregivers of older persons with dementia and hip fracture: a mixed-methods study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore whether a smart clothes-assisted home-nursing care program could benefit family caregivers and their care recipients. METHODS: Family caregivers in charge of a care recipient's living situation participated in this convergent parallel, mixed methods study. We recruited older persons with dementia (n = 7) and those discharged following hip-fracture surgery (n = 6) from neurological clinics and surgical wards of a medical center, respectively, along with their family caregivers: three spouses, eight sons, one daughter, and one daughter-in-law. Care recipients were asked to wear a smart vest at least 4 days/week for 6 months, which contained a coin-size monitor hidden in an inner pocket. Sensors installed in bedrooms and living areas received signals from the smart clothing, which were transmitted to a mobile phone app of homecare nurses, who provided caregivers with transmitted information regarding activities, emergency situations and suggestions for caregiving activities. Outcomes included changes from baseline in caregivers' preparedness and depressive symptoms collected at 1- and 3-months, which were analyzed with Friedman's non-parametric test of repeated measures with post-hoc analysis. Transcripts of face-to-face semi-structured interview data about caregivers' experiences were analyzed to identify descriptive, interpretative, and pattern codes. RESULTS: Preparedness did not change from baseline at either 1- or 3-months for family caregivers of persons with dementia. However, depressive symptoms decreased significantly at 1-month and 3-months compared with baseline, but not between 1-months and 3-months. Analysis of the interview data revealed the smart clothes program increased family caregivers' knowledge of the care recipient's situation and condition, informed healthcare providers of the care recipient's physical health and cognitive status, helped homecare nurses provide timely interventions, balanced the care recipient's exercise and safety, motivated recipients to exercise, helped family caregivers balance work and caregiving, and provided guidance for caregiving activities. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences with the smart clothes-assisted home-nursing care program directly benefited family caregivers, which provided indirect benefits to the care recipients due to the timely interventions and caregiving guidance from homecare nurses. These benefits suggest a smart-clothes-assisted program might be beneficial for all family caregivers.

Experiences of family caregivers of persons living with dementia with and without a smart- clothes assisted home nursing program during the heightened COVID-19 alert.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has required restrictions of daily activities, which has been found to impact the lives of persons living with dementia (PLWDs) and their family caregivers, who have multiple care demands. The lack of relevant studies in Taiwan emphasized the need to explore the experiences of family caregivers of older PLWDs faced with the intensified restrictions to control the spread of COVID-19, and the impact of the availability of a smart-clothes home nursing program. METHODS: This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with family caregivers of older PLWDs. Participants were recruited from dementia clinics of a medical center in northern Taiwan from a subset of a sample from a larger study on smart-clothes assisted home nursing care. A total of 12 family caregivers who participated in the original study were interviewed during the follow-up period; seven family caregivers of a PLWD wearing a smart-vest, which transmitted information to a home care nurse; five caregivers of a PLWD not wearing a smart-vest. Interviews were conducted by telephone because the conditions of the pandemic prevented face-to-face interviews. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Interview data showed family caregivers' felt the care recipient's health was compromised and functional conditions intensified as Covid-19-related pandemic restrictions increased. Specific concerns included a lack social interactions, decreased daily activity levels, loss of interest and lack of motivation for activities, increased mood and behavioral problems, a decline in physical function and an increase in health problems. Family caregivers were also impacted by these restrictions, with significant increases in severity of caregiver role strain, including feeling trapped, a lack of in-home support, profound powerlessness, and worries about the PLWD contracting the coronavirus. The smart-clothes assisted home nursing care program offered supplementary support to family caregivers by providing on-time interactions, helping them manage health problems, enhancing predictability of the care recipient's behaviors, and providing caregivers with emotional support. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study support alternative care such as implementation of technology-assisted home health services to meet caregiver needs to facilitate family caregiving of PLWDs during the necessary restrictions in activities implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol Record NCT05063045.

Better nutrition trajectory improves recovery following a hip fracture surgery for older persons with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Influences of nutritional status on hip fractured persons with diabetes mellitus (DM) following surgery have not been reported. AIMS: To explore the trajectory groups of nutritional status and their influences on post-operative recovery for older persons with hip fracture and DM. METHODS: A total of 169 patients with DM and hip fracture from a clinical trial were included in this analysis. Mini Nutritional Assessment was used to assess the nutritional status of the participants. Outcome variables included self-care ability, muscle strength, depressive symptoms, health related quality of life, and cognitive function, which were collected before discharge and 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-months following hospital discharge. RESULTS: Among hip fractured older persons with DM, within two years following surgery there were three nutritional trajectory groups: malnourished (28.3%), at-risk of malnutrition (41.9%) and well-nourished (29.8%). A decline in nutritional status, especially for the malnourished group, was seen in the second year. A better nutritional trajectory was associated with better recovery outcomes, including self-care ability, health related quality of life, cognitive function and less depressive symptoms. DISCUSSION: Close to 30% of hip fractured persons with DM were considered to have a malnourished trajectory over 2 years following surgery. A poor nutritional trajectory was associated with poor mental health and physical recovery. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous nutrition assessment during the first 2 years following hip fracture surgery for older persons with DM is important. Development and implementation of interventions targeting the malnourished trajectory group are suggested.

Relationship between psychological ownership of the nursing profession and turnover intention: A correlational survey among Taiwanese nurses.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between psychological ownership of the nursing profession and turnover intention. BACKGROUND: There is a severe shortage of nurses worldwide. Research is needed to understand how nurses' intention to leave hospitals and the nursing profession can be alleviated. METHODS: This study adopted a cross-sectional design and a survey method. Proportionate random sampling was used to ensure sample representativeness. This study surveyed 430 registered nurses in a medical centre in Taiwan between December 2021 and January 2022. We used Turnover Scale and Self-Efficacy Scale and developed Having a Place Scale. RESULTS: Psychological ownership comprises three dimensions: self-efficacy, nurse identity and 'having a place' in the nursing profession. This research is the first to examine how these three dimensions of psychological ownership of the nursing profession are related to the intention to leave a hospital or the nursing profession. Self-efficacy and 'having a place' are negatively related to nurses' intention to leave a hospital (r = -.23 and -.31, p < .001). Nurse identity is negatively related to nurses' intention to leave the nursing profession (r = -.38, p < .001). Intention to leave a hospital is positively related to nurses' intention to leave the profession (r = .76, p < .001). CONCLUSION: The findings provide novel insights for retaining nurses. Nurse managers could use strategies such as including nurses in making workplace decisions and encouraging them to personalize their workspace. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers can enhance nurses' self-efficacy and sense of 'having a place' to retain nurses in hospitals, while enhancing nurse identity to retain nurses in the profession.

How robots impact nurses' time pressure and turnover intention: A two-wave study.

AIMS: To examine the relationships among effort ensuring robots' smooth operation (EERSO), time pressure, missed care, and nurses' turnover intention, and how robot performance moderates such relations. BACKGROUND: Robots may reduce nurses' workload but typically still require some effort of nurses for robots' smooth operation. However, the negative impact of EERSO on nurses' workplace outcomes is unknown. METHODS: This study used a two-wave follow-up design. Data were collected in a medical center in Taiwan, with first wave collected in 2019 and second wave collected between 2019 and 2020. A total of 331 participants were followed through the two waves. RESULTS: EERSO is positively linked to missed care and time pressure. Time pressure is also positively linked to missed care and turnover intention. Positive robot performance weakens the positive link between EERSO and time pressure. CONCLUSION: Using robots may help reduce nurses' workload, but it also requires nurses' efforts to maintain robots' continuous operation, that is, EERSO. It may adversely impact nursing professional workplaces. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers should reduce nurses' time pressure whilst suggest hospital managers to seek robots that require minimal EERSO.

Finding a balance in family caregiving for people with dementia: A correlational longitudinal study.

AIMS: The "Finding a Balance Point" framework was used to explore the caregiving process over time for family caregivers of people with dementia in Taiwan. This study aimed to: (a) identify Taiwanese caregivers' different balance trajectories; (b) explore predictors of trajectory group membership; and (c) examine associations of different balance trajectories with caregiving outcomes. DESIGN: A correlational longitudinal design was used. METHODS: Data were collected from 200 family caregivers' self-completed questionnaires and they were followed over 2 years (June 2015-May 2017). Discrete balance trajectories were identified by group-based trajectory modelling. Predictors of trajectory group membership were identified from potential predictors of caregiving characteristics and caregiving factors using multivariate logistic regression. Associations of trajectory groups with caregiving outcomes (depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life) were explored using the generalized estimating equation. RESULTS: Balance trajectories best fit a two-group trajectory model (poor and good). Caregivers with a poor sense of balance between competing needs were more likely to have more depressive symptoms (b = 11.71, 95% CI [9.04, 14.38], p < .001), worse physical health (b = -6.22, 95% CI [-8.71, -3.74], p < .001), and worse mental health (b = -11.1, 95% CI [-13.58, -8.63], p < .001) than caregivers with a good sense of balance. Caregivers experiencing lower role strain (b = -1.45, SE = 0.48, p = .003) or higher predictability (b = 2.83, SE = 0.76, p < .001) were more likely to belong to the good-balance group. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers with poor balance between competing needs are more likely to have worse caregiving outcomes. Role strain and predictability significantly predicted balance trajectory groups. Family caregivers with lower caregiving task difficulty and/or better knowledge of the care receiver were more likely to be in the good balance trajectory group. IMPACT: Our findings support the framework, "Finding a Balance Point," and clarify the family caregiving process for people with dementia. This framework could be used to tailor interventions for home care nurses to improve family caregivers' caregiving outcomes.

Reducing turnover intention to improve care outcome: A two-wave study.

AIMS: To ascertain how professional turnover intention impacts nurse-assessed care outcomes, including patient-centered care and care quality. BACKGROUND: Patient-centered care and care quality are critical to care outcomes. However, we do not know whether care outcomes would be improved by reducing nurses' professional turnover intention. DESIGN: We implemented a two-wave correlational follow-up design. METHODS: This study was conducted in a large-scale general in Taiwan during January and February 2018, and January and February 2019. We successfully obtained responses from 448 nurses in 2018 and subsequently followed up (in 2019). Most were women (97.5%), reflecting the profile of the local nurse population. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses. RESULTS: Our findings indicate that nurses' professional turnover intention is negatively related to nurse-assessed, patient-centered care. Nurses' professional turnover intention is also negatively related to all the five perceptions of nurse-assessed care quality: that is, assurance, reliability, responsiveness, empathy, and tangibles. Moreover, years of working as a nurse is also positively related to nurse-assessed, patient-centered care and all the five perceptions of nurse-assessed care quality. CONCLUSION: This study examined nurses' professional turnover intention as an antecedent of nurse-assessed, patient-centered care and care quality. Our study shows that professional turnover intention may predict care outcomes. Overall, our study suggests that professional turnover intention not only impacts workforce stability but also impacts health-care outcomes. IMPACT: Our findings suggest that reduction of nurses' turnover intentions could benefit care outcomes. Hospital managers should know that nurses' turnover negatively impacts care outcomes.

Impact of professional commitment on professional capability improvement and care quality dimensions: A multi-wave study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine how the three dimensions of professional commitment impact professional capabilities improvement and five key dimensions of care quality. BACKGROUND: While professional commitment is known to retain nurses, we do not know how its three dimensions-affective, continuance and normative commitment-formulate five care quality dimensions: assurance, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and tangibles. DESIGN: We used a three-wave, follow-up design to follow a sample of nurse participants. METHODS: We collected responses from 430 nurses who worked for a medical centre in Northern Taiwan during 2017-2019. Most (78.9%) of the respondents had an age between 20-40 years. We used Professional Commitment Scale of Meyer et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 1993, 78, 538) and Care Quality Scale of Teng et al. (Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2010, 41, 301). STROBE statement was chosen as EQUATOR checklist. RESULTS: We found that affective professional commitment is positively related to intention to improve professional capabilities, action to improve professional capabilities and thus to four dimensions of care quality: assurance, reliability, responsiveness and empathy. CONCLUSIONS: Our model explains how three key dimensions of professional commitment contribute to care quality. Our findings support the link between action to improve professional capabilities and dimensions of care quality. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nursing managers can inform nurses of positive patient feedback, thus enhancing nurses' affective professional commitment, which would likely motivate their devotion to upgrading their professional capabilities, thus further contributing to the quality of the care they provide.

Trajectory of adherence to home rehabilitation among older adults with hip fractures and cognitive impairment.

This study aimed to identify different trajectories of adherence to home rehabilitation for older adults with hip fracture and cognitive impairment, to examine associations between different adherence trajectories and postoperative recovery outcomes, and to explore the predictors of adherence trajectories. Group-based trajectory modeling showed two adherence trajectories: low (39.06%) and high (60.94%) adherence. The high adherence group had better activities of daily living (ß=11.77, p<.001), instrumental activities of daily living (ß=0.56, p<.01), femoral muscular strength (ß=3.35, p<.01) on the fractured side and quality of life (ß=-0.81, p=.02) than the low adherence group. Participants who established exercise habits (OR=6.49, p<.01) and consulted a physical therapist (OR=4.29, p=.03) during hospitalization were more likely to be in the high adherence group.

Fluctuating interpretations: Striving to maintain a sense of self in early dementia.

This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework of the experience of persons living with the early stages of dementia. A grounded theory approach examined the experience from the perspective of the patient. Data were collected from dyads of persons with mild dementia and their family caregivers (N = 17) using face-to-face interviews at three timepoints over a one-year period. Transcribed interviews were analyzed with constant comparative analysis. The core category was "Fluctuating interpretations: striving to maintain one's sense of self." Interpretations were comprised of three subcategories: being a stranger to oneself, sense-making, and strategies for coexistence. Different situations influenced the process and affected individuals' attitudes and behaviors. Interpretations were a protective vehicle and stabilizing force that enabled persons with dementia to coexist with disease changes. Perspectives of persons with dementia during the early stages should be considered when designing intervention strategies for patient-centered care.