The experiences, needs and expectations of patients regarding participation at home: an explorative study in Belgium.

BACKGROUND: Patients have an important role in the improvement of their health. Patient participation is a key component to achieving this. Some form of patient participation is already present in home care, but this needs to be optimised. AIM: Gaining insight into the expectations, experiences and needs of patients regarding patient participation in home care. DESIGN: A qualitative design was used. SETTING: The study was conducted in the Flemish part of Belgium, in a purposeful sample of patients who have already received nursing care at home for at least 6 weeks. METHODS: Semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using the Qualitative Analyse Guide of Leuven. RESULTS: Patient participation in home care is a dynamic process. A total of six components, which interact with each other, were identified that explain this process. CONCLUSION: Patient participation in home care is the interaction of different components of a whole mechanism. Within this mechanism, home nurses play a key role to facilitate participation for patients.

Reducing the use of physical restraints in home care: development and feasibility testing of a multicomponent program to support the implementation of a guideline.

BACKGROUND: A validated evidence-based guideline was developed to reduce physical restraint use in home care. However, the implementation of guidelines in home care is challenging. Therefore, this study aims to systematically develop and evaluate a multicomponent program for the implementation of the guideline for reducing the use of physical restraints in home care. METHODS: Intervention Mapping was used to develop a multicomponent program. This method contains six steps. Each step comprises several tasks towards the design, implementation and evaluation of an intervention; which is theory and evidence informed, as well as practical. To ensure that the multicomponent program would support the implementation of the guideline in home care, a feasibility study of 8 months was organized in one primary care district in Flanders, Belgium. A concurrent triangulation mixed methods design was used to evaluate the multicomponent program consisting of a knowledge test, focus groups and an online survey. RESULTS: The Social Cognitive Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior are the foundations of the multicomponent program. Based on modeling, active learning, guided practice, belief selection and resistance to social pressure, eight practical applications were developed to operationalize these methods. The key components of the program are: the ambassadors for restraint-free home care (n = 15), the tutorials, the physical restraint checklist and the flyer. The results of the feasibility study show the necessity to select uniform terminology and definition for physical restraints, to involve all stakeholders from the beginning of the process, to take time for the implementation process, to select competent ambassadors and to collaborate with other home care providers. CONCLUSIONS: The multicomponent program shows promising results. Prior to future use, further research needs to focus on the last two steps of Intervention Mapping (program implementation plan and developing an evaluation plan), to guide implementation on a larger scale and to formally evaluate the effectiveness of the multicomponent program.

Reducing physical restraints by older adults in home care: development of an evidence-based guideline.

BACKGROUND: Restraint use is a complex and challenging issue in home care. Due to socio-demographic trends, worldwide home healthcare providers are faced with an increasing demand for restraint use from informal caregivers, patients and healthcare providers, resulting in the use of various types of restraints in home care. Awareness and knowledge of restraint use in home care, its implications and the ethical challenges surrounding it are of crucial importance to its reduction. This research aimed to describe the development process of an evidence-based practice guideline to support caregivers to optimize home care. METHOD: The practice guideline was developed according to the framework of the Belgian Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and AGREE II. The guideline was developed over several stages: (1) determination of the target population and scope, (2) literature search, (3) drafting and (4) validation. A multidisciplinary working group determined the proposed purpose, target group, and six clinical questions for the guideline. A consensus procedure and consultation by experts were used to develop the guideline. RESULTS: The guideline provides an answer to six clinical questions and contains ten key recommendations based on the classification of GRADE, with the objective of increasing healthcare providers' awareness, knowledge and competence to adequately deal with situations or questions related to restraint use. The guideline also includes a flowchart for dealing with complex situations where the use of restraints is requested, already present or considered. CONCLUSIONS: The guideline was validated by the Belgian Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Increasing competence, awareness and knowledge related to restraint use are key objectives of the guideline for reducing restraint use in home care. A multicomponent intervention to support healthcare workers in implementing the guideline in clinical practice needs to be developed.

Restraint use in home care: a qualitative study from a nursing perspective.

BACKGROUND: Despite the growing demand for home care and preliminary evidence suggesting that the use of restraint is common practice in home care, research about restraint use in this setting is scarce. METHODS: To gain insight into the use of restraints in home care from the perspective of nurses, we conducted a qualitative explorative study. We conducted semi-structured face-to-face interviews of 14 nurses from Wit-Gele Kruis, a home-care organization in Flanders, Belgium. Interview transcripts were analyzed using the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven. RESULTS: Our findings revealed a lack of clarity among nurses about the concept of restraint in home care. Nurses reported that cognitively impaired older persons, who sometimes lived alone, were restrained or locked up without continuous follow-up. The interviews indicated that the patient's family played a dominant role in the decision to use restraints. Reasons for using restraints included "providing relief to the family" and "keeping the patient at home as long as possible to avoid admission to a nursing home." The nurses stated that general practitioners had no clear role in deciding whether to use restraints. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the issue of restraint use in home care is even more complex than in long-term residential care settings and acute hospital settings. They raise questions about the ethical and legal responsibilities of home-care providers, nurses, and general practitioners. There is an urgent need for further research to carefully document the use of restraints in home care and to better understand it so that appropriate guidance can be provided to healthcare workers.

The professional self-image of registered home nurses in Flanders (Belgium): a cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

Despite their necessity and relevance, studies examining the professional self-image of nurses and instruments to measure this professional self-image in the homecare setting are scarce. This study highlights both the positive self-image of home nurses and the existence of a delicate balance between the large degree of autonomy that home nurses have and the need to feel supported in their professional role and responsibility. The practice environment, including time pressure, workload, and insufficient support, needs to be addressed to keep it from having a negative impact on the professional self-image of home nurses in the long-term.

Factors associated with use of restraints on older adults with home care: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey study.

BACKGROUND: Although there is evidence that use of restraints in home care is increasing, research into the factors associated with restraints in this setting is scarce. OBJECTIVE: To gain insight into the factors associated with restraints in older adults receiving home care. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional survey about restraint use in home care. SETTINGS: Older adults receiving home care in Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: 8000 subjects were randomly selected from a total of 45,700 older adults. The mean age of the sample (n = 6397) was 80.6 years, 66.8% were women and 46.4% lived alone. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of restraint use on older adults receiving home care from a nursing organisation in Belgium was completed by the patients' primary care nurses. A binary logistic regression model with generalised estimating equations was used to evaluate factors associated with restraint use. Additional analyses focused on the subgroups with and without an informal caregiver and living alone / with others. Data from 6397 participants were analysed in detail. RESULTS: Multivariate logistic regression indicated that restraint use was associated with supervision [OR = 2.433, 95% CI = 1.948-3.038]; dependency in activities of daily living (i.e. eating [OR = 2.181, 95% CI = 1.212-3.925], transfer [OR = 2.131, 95% CI = 1.191-3.812] and continence [OR = 1.436, 95% CI = 0.925-2.231]; perceived risk of falling in the nurses' clinical judgement [OR = 1.994, 95% CI = 1.710-2.324], daily behavioural problems [OR = 1.935, 95% CI = 1.316-2.846] and less than daily behavioural problems [OR = 1.446, 95% CI = 1.048-1.995]; decreased well-being of the informal caregiver [OR = 1.472, 95% CI = 1.126-1.925], the informal caregiver's dissatisfaction with family support [OR = 1.339, 95% CI = 1.003-1.788]; patient's cognitive impairment [OR = 1.398, 95% CI = 1.290-1.515]; and polypharmacy [OR = 1.415, 95% CI = 1.219-1.641]. The nurses' perception of risk of falling, cognitive impairment (observed with the Cognitive Performance Scale) and supervision are the only variables consistently associated with restraint use across all the analyses. CONCLUSION: The study results provide insight into new and context-specific factors associated with restraint use in home care (e.g. supervision, informal caregiver's decreased well-being and dissatisfaction with family support). These insights could support the development of interventions to reduce restraint use in home care.

Restraint use in older adults in home care: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To get insight into restraint use in older adults receiving home care and, more specifically, into the definition, prevalence and types of restraint, as well as the reasons for restraint use and the people involved in the decision-making process. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Four databases (i.e. Pubmed, CINAHL, Embase, Cochrane Library) were systematically searched from inception to end of April 2017. REVIEW METHODS: The study encompassed qualitative and quantitative research on restraint use in older adults receiving home care that reported definitions of restraint, prevalence of use, types of restraint, reasons for use or the people involved. We considered publications written in English, French, Dutch and German. One reviewer performed the search and made the initial selection based on titles and abstracts. The final selection was made by two reviewers working independently; they also assessed study quality. We used an integrated design to synthesise the findings. RESULTS: Eight studies were reviewed (one qualitative, seven quantitative) ranging in quality from moderate to high. The review indicated there was no single, clear definition of restraint. The prevalence of restraint use ranged from 5% to 24.7%, with various types of restraint being used. Families played an important role in the decision-making process and application of restraints; general practitioners were less involved. Specific reasons, other than safety for using restraints in home care were noted (e.g. delay to nursing home admission; to provide respite for an informal caregiver). CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to the current socio demographical evolutions resulting in an increasing demand of restraint use in home care, research on this subject is still scarce and recent. The limited evidence however points to the challenging complexity and specificity of home care regarding restraint use. Given these serious challenges for clinical practice, more research about restraint use in home care is urgently needed.

Restraint Use in Older Adults Receiving Home Care.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence, types, frequency, and duration of restraint use in older adults receiving home nursing care and to determine factors involved in the decision-making process for restraint use and application. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of restraint use in older adults receiving home care completed by primary care nurses. SETTING: Homes of older adults receiving care from a home nursing organization in Belgium. PARTICIPANTS: Randomized sample of older adults receiving home care (N = 6,397; mean age 80.6; 66.8% female). MEASUREMENTS: For each participant, nurses completed an investigator-constructed and -validated questionnaire collecting information demographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics and aspects of restraint use. A broad definition of restraint was used that includes a range of restrictive actions. RESULTS: Restraints were used in 24.7% of the participants, mostly on a daily basis (85%) and often for a long period (54.5%, 24 h/d). The most common reason for restraint use was safety (50.2%). Other reasons were that the individual wanted to remain at home longer, which necessitated the use of restraints (18.2%) and to provide respite for the informal caregiver (8.6%). The latter played an important role in the decision and application process. The physician was less involved in the process. In 64.5% of cases, there was no evaluation after restraint use was initiated. CONCLUSION: Use of restraints is common in older adults receiving home care nursing in Belgium. These results contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of use of restraints in home care, a situation that may be even more complex than in nursing homes and acute hospital settings.