Potential Side Effects and Adverse Events of Antipsychotic Use for Residents With Dementia in Assisted Living: Implications for Prescribers, Staff, and Families.

Antipsychotic medications are frequently prescribed to assisted living (AL) residents who have dementia, although there is a lack of information about the potential side effects and adverse events of these medications among this population. Oversight and monitoring by family members is an important component of AL care, and it is important to understand family awareness of antipsychotic use and reports of potential side effects and adverse events. This cross-sectional, descriptive study of family members of 283 residents with dementia receiving antipsychotic medications in 91 AL communities found high rates (93%) of symptoms that could be potential side effects and a 6% rate of potential adverse events. The majority of families were aware their relative was taking an antipsychotic. Findings suggest that obtaining family perspectives of potential side effects and adverse events related to medication use may contribute to overall improvement in the safety of AL residents living with dementia.

Nurse Decision-making for Suspected Urinary Tract Infections in Nursing Homes: Potential Targets to Reduce Antibiotic Overuse.

OBJECTIVES: To determine what information is most important to registered nurses' (RNs) decisions to call clinicians about suspected urinary tract infections (UTIs) in nursing home residents. DESIGN: Web-based discrete choice experiment with 19 clinical scenarios. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Online survey with a convenience sample of RNs (N = 881) recruited from a health care research panel. METHODS: Clinical scenarios used information from 10 categories of resident characteristics: UTI risk, resident type, functional status, mental status, lower urinary tract status, body temperature, physical examination, urinalysis, antibiotic request, and goals of care. Participants were randomized into 2 deliberation conditions (self-paced, n = 437 and forced deliberation, n = 444). The degree to which evidence- and non-evidence-based information was important to decision-making was estimated using unconditional multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: For all nurses (22.8%) and the self-paced group (24.1%), lower urinary tract status had the highest importance scores for the decision to call a clinician about a suspected UTI. For the forced-deliberation group, body temperature was most important (23.7%), and lower urinary tract status was less important (21%, P = .001). The information associated with the highest odds of an RN calling about a suspected UTI was painful or difficult urination [odds ratio (OR) 4.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.16-5.65], obvious blood in urine (OR 4.66, 95% CI 3.99-5.44), and temperature at 101.5° (OR 3.80, 95% CI 3.28-4.42). For the self-paced group, painful or difficult urination (OR 5.65, 95% CI 4.53-7.04) had the highest odds, whereas obvious blood in urine (OR 4.39, 95% CI 3.53-5.47) had highest odds for the forced-deliberation group. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This study highlighted the importance of specific resident characteristics in nurse decision-making about suspected UTIs. Future antimicrobial stewardship efforts should aim to not only improve the previously studied overprescribing practices of clinicians, but to improve nurses' assessment of signs and symptoms of potential infections and how they weigh resident information.

The role of Doctor of Nursing Practice-prepared nurses in practice settings.

BACKGROUND: The role of the Doctor of Nursing Practice-prepared nurse (DNP) outside of academic settings has not been clearly articulated or widely explored, and therefore the value DNP-prepared nurses bring to their practice settings is largely unknown. This study: (1) surveyed existing DNP programs to identify the nonacademic settings in which their DNP graduates were employed and (2) conducted semistructured interviews with employers to identify the role and value of the DNP-prepared nurse in nonacademic settings. METHOD: Data were collected from January 2016 to August 2016 in two parts: (1) an online survey of the DNP programs and (2) qualitative semistructured telephone interviews with employers. First, we conducted an online survey of program directors (or their equivalent) from 288 DNP programs across the United States to capture descriptive information about current DNP programs (e.g., location, modality, profit status), the types of nonacademic institutions that hire their graduates, percentage of graduates employed by each setting, and the contact information for these employers. Employers were identified either by DNP program directors through the online survey or by a convenience sampling method. Using semistructured telephone interviews, we asked questions to employers in different care settings about the role of the DNP in these settings and how the DNP compares to other nurse leaders and advanced practice nurses (APRN). Employers were asked to describe the role of the DNP-prepared nurse working in direct patient care roles such as APRNs or as leaders, administrators, and managers. FINDINGS: Descriptive thematic analyses were derived from the interviews, to identify the roles DNP-prepared nurses filled and how they compared to other nurse leaders and advanced practice nurses in these settings. A total of 130 DNP program directors responded to the online survey. Twenty-three employers participated in semistructured telephone interviews. The thematic analysis resulted in four main themes regarding the role of the DNP-prepared nurse in non-academic settings: "DNP-Prepared Nurse Positions and Roles," "Perceived Impact of the DNP-Prepared Nurse on Staff, Patient, and Organizational Outcomes," "Comparison of the DNP-Prepared Nurse to Other Nurses With Advanced Training," and "Challenges Experienced by Nurses With DNP Degrees. DISCUSSION: The role of the DNP-prepared nurse in nonacademic settings is unclear. These DNP-prepared nurses typically function as APRNs in clinical care or as health care system leaders. While there is a low number of DNPs in clinical practice settings, the number is expected to grow as more graduate and enter practice. Thus, knowledge of the roles, value, and outcomes of the DNP-prepared nurse can guide practice setting leaders on how to best use DNP-prepared nurses in their setting.

Staffing and Service Availability in Assisted Living: The Importance of Nurse Delegation Policies.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the health services provided in residential care and assisted living (RC/AL), the staff providing these services, and the degree to which the services relate to state-level nurse delegation policies and other correlates of service provision. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study descriptively examined the relationships among RC/AL characteristics, services, staffing, and nurse delegation regulations/policies. SETTING: RC/AL settings (N=245) in 8 U.S. states (CA, FL, IL, KS, NC, NH, NJ, OR). PARTICIPANTS: Administrators and healthcare supervisors (individuals overseeing health care and services provided to residents). MEASUREMENTS: Using a telephone survey, we examined how delegation policies related to staffing and the availability of 26 health services. RESULTS: Significantly more services were available in RC/AL settings that permit delegation (delegation states) than states that do not permit delegation (nondelegation states) (19.7 vs 18.1, p < .001). Delegation states also had more medication technicians administering, assisting with, or observing self-administration of prescribed and as-needed medications (p < .001), whereas nondelegation states had staff with fewer qualifications handling medications (p < .001). In 2-way comparisons of categories of nurse staffing (none, licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and licensed vocational nurses (LVNs) only, registered nurses (RNs) only, LPN/LVNs and RNs), RC/AL communities with no nurse staffing offered significantly fewer services than all other categories. Those with RNs only also offered a significantly fewer services than those with LPN/LVNs only. CONCLUSION: This study is a first step in identifying how staffing and availability of services in RC/AL are related to statewide nurse delegation practices, forming the basis for further exploration of how these characteristics may relate to quality of care. J Am Geriatr Soc 66:2158-2166, 2018.

Nurse and Medical Provider Perspectives on Antibiotic Stewardship in Nursing Homes.

OBJECTIVES: To examine perspectives on antibiotic use and antibiotic stewardship of nurses and medical providers in nursing homes (NHs). DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: NHs in North Carolina (N = 31). PARTICIPANTS: Nursing staff (n = 182) and medical providers (n = 50). MEASUREMENTS: Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire about their perspectives on antibiotic use in their NH, the influence of residents and families on antibiotic prescribing decisions, and readiness to improve antibiotic stewardship. Open-ended questions on barriers to antibiotic stewardship were also asked. Linear mixed modeling was used to analyze differences between respondent groups and to test for associations with individual and organizational characteristics. RESULTS: All respondents supported reducing antibiotic use, although medical providers' support was significantly stronger (P = .005). When asked about their perception of residents' and family members' preference for antibiotic use in the case of suspected infection and the influence of that preference on antibiotic-prescribing decisions, respondents indicated that residents and families favor antibiotic use and influence prescribing decisions. Nurses reported a stronger perception than medical providers that families prefer antibiotics (P = .04) and influence prescribing decisions (P = .02). All respondents reported commitment and efficacy to change practices (mean 4.0-4.1 for nurses and 3.6-3.9 for medical providers on a 5-point scale). Four significant associations related to organizational and individual characteristics were found: directors of nursing and specialist nurses reported greater self-efficacy for changing practice than other nurses (P = .003), medical providers with a subspecialty (e.g., geriatrics) reported greater self-efficacy (P = .007) and commitment to change (P = .001) than those without a subspecialty, and medical providers specializing in hospice and palliative care rated family influence (P = .006) higher than those with other subspecialties. CONCLUSION: Nursing staff and medical providers share a commitment to reducing unnecessary antibiotic use. Antibiotic stewardship interventions should foster cooperation and build competency to implement alternative management approaches and to educate residents and families. Nurse leaders and medical providers with long-term care training may be especially effective champions for antibiotic stewardship.

Antibiotic prescribing in 4 assisted-living communities: incidence and potential for improvement.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the prevalence, characteristics, and appropriateness of systemic antibiotic use in assisted living (AL) and to conduct a preliminary quality improvement intervention trial to reduce inappropriate prescribing. DESIGN: Pre-post study, with a 13-month intervention period. SETTING: Four AL communities. PARTICIPANTS: All prescribers, all AL staff who communicate with prescribers, and all patients who had an infection during the baseline and intervention periods. INTERVENTION: A standardized form for AL staff, an online education course and 5 practice briefs for prescribers, and monthly quality improvement meetings with AL staff. MEASUREMENTS: Monthly inventory of all systemic antibiotic prescriptions; interviews with the prescriber, AL staff member, closest family member, and patient (when capable) regarding 85 antibiotic prescribing episodes (30 baseline, 55 intervention), with data review by an expert panel to determine prescribing appropriateness. RESULTS: The mean number of systemic antibiotic prescriptions was 3.44 per 1,000 resident-days at baseline and 3.37 during the intervention, a nonsignificant change (P = .30). Few prescribers participated in online training. AL staff use of the standardized form gradually increased during the program. The proportion of prescriptions rated as probably inappropriate was 26% at baseline and 15% during the intervention, a nonsignificant trend (P = .25). Drug selection was largely appropriate during both time periods. CONCLUSIONS: AL antibiotic prescribing rates appear to be approximately one-half those seen in nursing homes, with up to a quarter being potentially inappropriate. Interventions to improve prescribing must reach all physicians and staff and most likely will require long time periods to have the optimal effect.

Fidelity Decision Making in Social and Behavioral Research: Alternative Measures of Dose and Other Considerations.

This article advances the discussion of treatment fidelity in social and behavioral intervention research by analyzing fidelity in an intervention study conducted within participating long-term care settings of the Collaborative Studies of Long-Term Care. The authors used the Behavior Change Consortium's (BCC) best practices for enhancing treatment fidelity recommendations in the areas of study design, provider training, treatment delivery, treatment receipt, and treatment enactment to evaluate fidelity-related decisions. Modifications to the original fidelity strategies were necessary in all areas. The authors revised their dose score and compared it with two constructed alternative measures of fidelity. Testing alternative measures and selecting the best measure post hoc allowed them to observe chance differences in relationship to outcomes. When the end result is to translate behavioral interventions into real practice settings, it is clear that some degree of flexibility is needed to ensure optimal delivery. Based on the relationship of program elements to the outcomes, a multicomponent intervention dose measure was more appropriate than one related to individual elements alone. By assessing the extent to which their strategies aligned with the BCC recommendations, the authors offer an opportunity for social work researchers to learn from their challenges and decision-making process to maximize fidelity.

Adapting the family management style framework for families caring for older adults with dementia.

This article presents an adaptation of the Family Management Style Framework (FMSF)-a well-established framework of family response to chronic condition care of children-to families caring for older adults with dementia. Using the FMSF to better understand how families manage dementia care can provide clinicians with insights on how to work effectively with families. Using data from interviews with eight female caregivers of older adults with dementia, this secondary analysis adapts the FMSF, and identifies new dimensions that apply specifically to families caring for older adults with dementia. The discussion draws comparisons between the family management of a child with chronic condition to management of an older adult with dementia. The article concludes with a discussion of how understanding how families manage care of an older adult with dementia informs assessment for management styles and the tailoring of interventions specific to family, caregiver, and older adult needs.

Physician perspectives on medical care delivery in assisted living.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the provision of medical care in assisted living (AL) as provided by physicians who are especially active in providing care to older adults and AL residents; to identify characteristics associated with physician confidence in AL staff; and to ask physicians a variety of questions about their experience providing care to AL residents and how it compares with providing care in the nursing home and home care settings. DESIGN: Cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTING: AL communities in 27 states. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred sixty-five physicians and administrators of 125 AL settings in which they had patients. MEASUREMENTS: Interviews and questionnaires containing open- and close-ended questions regarding demographics, care arrangements, attitudes, and behaviors in managing medical problems. RESULTS: Most respondents were certified in internal medicine (46%) or family medicine (47%); 32% were certified in geriatrics and 30% in medical directorship. In this select sample, 48% visited the AL setting once a year or less, and 19% visited once a week or more. Mean physician confidence in AL staff was 3.3 (somewhat confident), with greater confidence associated with smaller AL community size, nursing presence, and the physician being the medical director. Qualitative analyses identified differences between settings including lack of vital sign assessment in the home setting, concern about the ability of AL staff to assess and monitor problems, and greater administrative and regulatory requirements in AL than in the other settings. CONCLUSION: Providing medical care for AL residents presents unique challenges and opportunities for physicians. Nursing presence and physician oversight and familiarity and communicating with AL staff who are highly familiar with a given resident and can monitor care may facilitate care.

The Emerging Role of Health Care Supervisors in Assisted Living.

Historically, the assisted living (AL) industry has promoted a social, non-medical model of care. Rising health acuity of residents within AL, however, has brought about the need for providing increased health care services. This article examines the key staff role related to health care provision and oversight in AL, described as the health care supervisor. It briefly describes individuals in this role (N = 90) and presents their perspectives regarding their roles and responsibilities as the health care point person within this non-medical environment. Qualitative analyses identified four themes as integral to this position: administrative functions, supervision of care staff, provision of clinical and direct care, and clinical care coordination and communication. The article concludes with recommendations for AL organizations and practice of the emerging health care supervisor role in AL.

Luck and happenstance: how older adults enroll in a program of all-inclusive care for the elderly.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: This qualitative study explores how older adults enroll in a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING: PACE is a community-based long-term care program for nursing home eligible older adults. METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE: The study includes interviews with older adults (n = 5), families (n = 4), and staff (n = 10). This study identified common circumstances that led to the recognition of a need for help. RESULTS: These circumstances included the following: an acute event or crisis, older adult's or caregiver's drive to avoid entry into the nursing home, and the caregivers' recognition that they need relief from their care demands. Once this need was identified, families typically found out about PACE because of happenstance; they happened to talk to someone who knew about the program. IMPLICATIONS FOR CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: If PACE is going to be a sustainable alternative to nursing home care efforts, it needs to focus on moving the enrollment process beyond happenstance. Professional case managers are positioned to help older adults and families plan for long-term care by understanding the availability of local community services, developing contacts with local community and long-term care services, and considering what information older adults and their families need, especially during acute care discharges, primary care encounters, and queries for nursing home services.

Building partnerships to continue older adults' residence in the community.

Current care of older adults focuses on maintenance of independence and frames assessment and decision making about when to intervene. This conceptualization focuses on older adults' deficits and how to compensate for loss of function. Instead of considering independence to continue community residence, an alternative-interdependence-provides a conceptualization that focuses on older adults in the family context and on supportive services, which are the main components of community residence. This article presents the concept of interdependence by analyzing the current research, practice, and policy literature. The article concludes with a discussion of the application of interdependence in gerontological nursing practice and research.

A transactional model of cancer family caregiving skill.

Family caregivers of persons receiving treatment of cancer must acquire illness-related skills not usually found among nonprofessional caregivers. Although research is needed to understand the skill acquisition process, no models of family caregiving skill exist to guide such research. The purpose of this study was to develop a model of caregiving skill through qualitative research. Participants were 44 caregiver/patient dyads and 63 individual caregivers. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview. A transactional model of family caregiving skill was developed that includes the concepts of demands of the illness situation, patterns of care, caregiver responses, and patient responses.