Long-Term Care Staff Perspectives on the Care of Persons Living With Dementia During the COVID-19 Pandemic in São Paulo State, Brazil.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Brazilian long-term care (LTC) sector faced many challenges, which accentuated other common issues experienced by persons living with dementia (PLWD). The current pilot study evaluated staff perspectives regarding the care of institutionalized PLWD during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using an online survey, we collected the perspectives of 24 workers from seven long-term care facilities (LTCFs) located in São Paulo State, Brazil, about the impact of COVID-19 in caring for PLWD. Results highlight concerns about challenges related to following precautionary measures and the negative effects of social distancing on PLWD. Aspects related to workforce and staffing and person-centered care approaches were recognized by staff as important to provide good care for PLWD. Future research is needed to consider how to support LTCFs in achieving a balance between the protection and well-being of PLWD. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 49(5), 45-52.].

Care Coordination Processes in Transitional Care for Patients With Heart Failure: An Integrative Review Through a Social Network Lens.

BACKGROUND: Transitional care components are well studied, but their coordination has not been systematically reviewed. Viewing transitional care through a social network framework can focus attention on processes leading to information and relationship transferal to ensure continuity and may lead to new strategies to improve transitional care. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine care coordination processes in transitional care interventions for older adults with heart failure by integrating a social network analysis approach. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL were searched to capture transitional care interventions ( a ) involving care coordination for older adults with heart failure transitioning from hospital to home and ( b ) published in the United States from 2010 to 2020. Study characteristics, intervention characteristics, and care coordination processes (ie, participants, interactions among participants, and their characteristics) were extracted. RESULTS: In 17 studies reviewed, the number of individual roles involved in care coordination varied from 3 to 32. Nurses and pharmacists were the most common interventionists. Six studies involved informal caregivers. In-person interactions were most common among individuals within settings; interactions across settings were typically assisted by technology. Despite high variability among the individuals and interactions involved, a common triadic process was found through which interventionists, patients, and primary care providers or outpatient cardiologists aimed to facilitate the transfer of information and care relationships from hospital to community. CONCLUSIONS: High variability in transitional care is likely because the processes are highly relational. Using a network analysis may help uncover the relational structures and processes underlying transitional care to inform intervention development.

Resilience in relation to older adults with multimorbidity: A scoping review.

The purpose of this scoping review is to identify conceptual and theoretical resilience models, types of resilience measures, and outcomes regarding resilience in relation to older adults with multimorbidity. PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched, and we identified 14 studies to July 2021. Most models operationalize resilience as dependent on the social and environmental context of older adults. Three of the five resilience measures in the included studies are used to evaluate general resilience. They are primarily psychological or psychosocial in nature, and measuring physical resilience therefore may help to better understand individuals' ability to cope with the physical challenges associated with various chronic diseases. Quality of life and physical activity were common outcomes in studies of resilience. Findings highlight the need for studies that incorporate physiological measures or physical properties of resilience and longitudinal studies that capture the dynamic process of resilience in older adults with multimorbidity.

A mixed methods study on the manifestations of behavioural symptoms of dementia among veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder.

AIMS: To explore how behavioural symptoms of dementia are manifested among veterans in residential long-term care settings, in the context of personal, interpersonal/social and environmental triggers and how the manifestations differ between veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder. DESIGN: Secondary analysis using a mixed methods approach. METHODS: We analysed text data from a stratified random sample of 66 cases derived from the programme evaluation dataset of the Staff Training in Assisted Living Residences-Veterans Health Administration (STAR-VA) intervention from 2013 to 2016, using framework analysis. The detailed behavioural assessment descriptions in this dataset are consistent with contemporary non-pharmacologic symptom management. Qualitative categories were converted to quantitative variables for two group comparisons. RESULTS: Four patterns emerged linking specific types of triggers and behavioural symptoms: (1) unmet physical needs or emotional distress triggers non-aggressive behaviours; (2) unsolicited direct care approach triggers care refusal, resistance or combativeness; (3) interpersonal interactions interfering with self-direction trigger aggressive behaviours; and (4) uncontrolled stimulation from environments trigger non-aggressive behaviours. The organisational culture of care influenced how staff conceptualised behavioural symptoms. Veterans with co-existing posttraumatic stress disorder and dementia tended to exhibit rejection of care with aggression compared to those with dementia alone. CONCLUSION: Contextualised accounts of behavioural symptoms of dementia revealed symptom heterogeneity, with different clusters of multi-level triggers arising from specific personal, interpersonal and environmental circumstances. Distinct patterns of symptom manifestations between veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder suggest a tailored approach is required to meet each veteran's unique biopsychosocial needs. IMPACT: Classifying behavioural symptoms with their triggers rather than solely by behaviours provides important new information for developing person-centred, non-pharmacological interventions to improve outcomes for veterans with dementia. Multi-level interventions should be considered to meet veteran's needs that account for their earlier life history and current life circumstances.

Nursing home residents' perspectives on their social relationships.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore nursing home residents' perspectives on their relationships with other residents, family members and staff. BACKGROUND: The cultivation of social relationships is central to promoting well-being in nursing homes, as these relationships allow residents, family members and staff to be valued as unique persons and empowered as partners in care. Few studies have examined how nursing home residents perceive the relationships in their social networks, both within and beyond the facility. DESIGN: Qualitative secondary analysis. METHODS: We analysed individual and group interviews obtained during "stakeholder engagement sessions" with cognitively intact residents (N = 11 sessions; N = 13 participants) from two nursing homes in North Carolina. The interviews were conducted as part of a larger study on person-directed care planning. We integrated thematic and narrative analytic approaches to guide the analysis of interview data, using a three-cycle coding approach. The COREQ checklist was followed. RESULTS: Four broad themes emerged from this analysis: (a) peer relationships foster a sense of belonging, purpose, achievement and significance; (b) residents' relationships with family members support a sense of belonging, continuity and significance; (c) mutual respect and reciprocity between residents and nursing home staff promote a sense of belonging and significance; and (d) organisational factors pose barriers to forging meaningful relationships. Each type of relationship-peer, family and staff-made distinctive contributions residents' psychosocial well-being. CONCLUSION: Recognising the diverse roles of different actors from residents' social networks raises questions for future research to optimise the distinctive contributions of network members that promote residents' psychosocial well-being. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study highlights the need for nursing home staff to understand how residents' social relationships influence residents' psychosocial outcomes. Staff training programmes are needed to support residents' rights and to dispel inaccurate interpretations of regulations that threaten sustained meaningful relationships.

Predictors and patterns of home health care utilization among older adults in Shanghai, China.

The objective of this study is to explore the predictors and patterns of home health care among older adults in Shanghai, China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Yangpu and Pudong Districts of Shanghai from August to September of 2015. A total of 982 eligible seniors were chosen for interviews based on a stratified random sample. Four home health care patterns were identified through an exploratory factor analysis: daily living care, skilled nursing care, chronic care, and episodic care. Findings suggest that need factors have more influence on home health care use than predisposing factors.

Supervisory relationships in long-term care facilities: A comparative case study of two facilities using complexity science.

AIMS: This study aims to understand the factors that contribute to supervisory nurse performance in long-term care facilities. BACKGROUND: Long-term care facilities have been faced with staffing challenges and increasing resident care needs, resulting in suboptimal quality of care. Nursing leadership has been identified as a key factor in the provision of high-quality care. METHODS: The comparative case study employed a complexity science framework to compare two facilities. The facilities were chosen based on the level of perceived supervisory support staff received from their supervisors, and 10 participants were recruited from each facility at various levels of management and staff (n = 20). Data were collected in 2015 using semi-structured interviews. FINDINGS: The quality and quantity of supervisory relationships was central to shaping the effectiveness of the supervision. Effective supervisory support was characterized by frequent and high-quality supervisor-staff interactions. Effective nurse supervisors acknowledged self-organisation as beneficial, and worked in environments that encouraged fluidity of roles. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that effective nurse supervisors and supervisory support fosters improved work environments and the staff's ability to respond to residents' needs in a timely, effective and compassionate manner. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers who provide effective supervisory support can improve the quality of care provided to their residents.

Interchangeability of Licensed Nurses in Nursing Homes: Perspectives of Directors of Nursing.

BACKGROUND: Licensed nurse (registered nurse [RN] and licensed practical nurse [LPN]) roles in nursing homes are often viewed as interchangeable. Interchangeability occurs when the differences in RN and LPN education and scopes of practice are not recognized or acknowledged, leading to staffing patterns where the roles and clinical contributions of RNs and LPNs are perceived as equivalent. PURPOSE: This study describes the perspectives of directors of nursing about interchangeability between RNs and LPNs and factors that contribute to interchangeability. METHOD: This is a secondary analysis of data from a larger study in which 44 Directors of Nursing from Nurisng Homes in two different states were interviewed about their perceptions of the roles of RNs and LPNs. FINDINGS: Interchangeability of RNs and LPNs was influenced by directors of nursing's knowledge and awareness of the scopes of practice for the two types of licensed nurses, corporate policies, and educational background of RNs. The findings suggest opportunities for better differentiating roles through the use of job descriptions that more clearly delineate the distinctive contributions of both RNs and LPNs in nursing home settings. DISCUSSION: While increasing the number of RNs in nursing homes is desirable, there is immediate opportunity to ensure that the few RNs in nursing homes are used effectively to ensure that the professional nursing care needs of residents are met. NOTE: The review process and decision for this article was managed by Barbara S. Smith, PhD, R, FAAN Associate Editor, Nursing Outlook.

Person-Centered Incontinence Care in Residential Care Facilities for Older Adults With Cognitive Decline: Feasibility and Preliminary Effects on Quality of Life and Quality of Care.

The current study operationalized, assessed, and evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effects of implementing a person-centered approach to incontinence care for older adults with cognitive decline in residential care facilities (RCFs) in Sweden. Twenty health care workers were purposively sampled from two intervention RCFs. Process outcome was measured as number of assessments conducted for incontinence management. Impact outcome measures were quality of life, basal assessment of incontinence, incontinence actions taken, and personally chosen incontinence aids. A usual care control group RCF was matched by resident case-mix and geographic region. Introduction of a person-centered approach showed an increase in residents' quality of life in the intervention group compared to baseline and the control group. A positive effect was found on the number of urinary incontinence assessments conducted (p < 0.05). In addition, the number of person-centered caring actions (e.g., toilet assistance) was significantly higher during and 6 months after implementation of the person-centered approach. Implementing a person-centered approach in clinical practice focused on incontinence care, quality of care, and quality of life is supported for RCF residents. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(11), 10-19.].

Resident challenges with daily life in Chinese long-term care facilities: A qualitative pilot study.

As traditional family-based care in China declines, the demand for residential care increases. Knowledge of residents' experiences with long-term care (LTC) facilities is essential to improving quality of care. This pilot study aimed to describe residents' experiences in LTC facilities, particularly as it related to physical function. Semi-structured open-ended interviews were conducted in two facilities with residents stratified by three functional levels (n = 5). Directed content analysis was guided by the Adaptive Leadership Framework. A two-cycle coding approach was used with a first-cycle descriptive coding and second-cycle dramaturgical coding. Interviews provided examples of challenges faced by residents in meeting their daily care needs. Five themes emerged: staff care, care from family members, physical environment, other residents in the facility, and personal strategies. Findings demonstrate the significance of organizational context for care quality and reveal foci for future research.

Health-related quality of life in older depressed psychogeriatric patients: one year follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge about long-term change in health related quality of life (HQoL) among older adults after hospitalization for treatment of depression has clinical relevance. The aim was firstly to describe the change of HQoL one year after admission for treatment of depression, secondly to explore if improved HQoL was associated with remission of depression at follow-up and lastly to study how HQoL in patients with remission from depression were compared to a reference group of older persons without depression. METHOD: This study had the one year follow-up information of 108 older patients (≥60 years), all hospitalized for depression at baseline, and a reference sample of 106 community-living older adults (≥60 years) without depression. HQoL was measured using the EuroQol Group's EQ-5D Index and a visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). Depression and remission were diagnosed according to ICD-10. Socio-demographic variables (age, gender, and education), depressive symptom score (Montgomery-Aasberg Depression Rating Scale), cognitive functioning (Mini Mental State Examination scale), instrumental activities of daily living (the Lawton and Brody's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale), and poor general physical health (General Medical Health Rating) were included as covariates. RESULTS: HQoL had improved at follow-up for the total group of depressed patients, as indicated by better scores on the EQ-5D Index and EQ-VAS. In the multivariate linear regression model, improved EQ-5D Index and EQ-VAS was significantly better in those with remission of depression and those with better baseline physical health. In adjusted analyses, the HQoL in patients with remission from depression at follow-up did not differ from the HQoL in a reference group without depression. CONCLUSION: Older hospital patients with depression who experienced remission one year after admission gained HQoL and their HQoL was comparable with the HQoL in a reference group of older adults without depression when adjusting for differences in socio-demographics and health conditions.

Nursing home director of nursing leadership style and director of nursing-sensitive survey deficiencies.

BACKGROUND: Nursing homes are becoming increasingly complex clinical environments because of rising resident acuity and expansion of postacute services within a context of historically poor quality performance. Discrete quality markers have been linked to director of nursing (DON) leadership behaviors. However, the impact of DON leadership across all measured areas of DON jurisdiction has not been tested using comprehensive domains of quality deficiencies. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of DON leadership style including behaviors that facilitate the exchange of information between diverse people on care quality domains through the lens of complexity science. METHODOLOGY: Three thousand six hundred nine DONs completed leadership and intent-to-quit surveys. Quality markers that were deemed DON sensitive included all facility survey deficiencies in the domains of resident behaviors/facility practices, quality of life, nursing services, and quality of care. Logistic regression procedures estimated associations between variables. FINDINGS: The odds of deficiencies for all DON sensitive survey domains were lower in facilities where DONs practiced complexity leadership including more staff input and shared decisional authority. DON quit intentions were aligned with higher odds of facility deficiencies across all domains. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Results supported the hypotheses that DONs using complexity leadership approaches by interacting more freely with staff, discussing resident issues, and sharing decision making produced better care outcomes from every DON sensitive metric assessed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The mechanism linking poor quality with high DON quit intentions is an area for future research. Encouraging DON use of complexity leadership approaches has the potential to improve a broad swath of quality outcomes.

Nursing Workforce in Hubei China: Implications for the Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine Education.

Research evidence suggests that educating nurses about traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) significantly improves their nursing care practice and the health care outcomes of community residents. The purpose of this study was to describe the current use of TCM by China's nursing workforce, as well as the typical nurse to physician ratio and types of TCM education that nurses receive in health care facilities. A large retrospective survey was conducted in Hubei Province, China, in 2010. The sample included 620 non-TCM hospitals, 120 TCM hospitals, and 1254 community health centers (CHCs). Descriptive analysis and 1-way analysis of variance were used to test statistical differences. There were 79 447 nurses employed, of which 1527 had a TCM degree and 5689 had on-the-job TCM education. Non-TCM hospitals employed more nurses than TCM hospitals and CHCs, and TCM hospitals employed more TCM nurses than non-TCM hospitals and CHCs. The median nurse to physician ratio varied by level of urbanization and type of health care facility, from 0.6 in rural CHCs to 1.3 in rural non-TCM hospitals. Differences in TCM education preparation of nurses were significantly different in the urban and rural settings and by type of health care facility. The study suggested a shortage of nurses educated in TCM in Hubei Province China, as well as uneven TCM workforce distribution. More opportunities for TCM education are needed for nurses, especially in CHCs where health promotion and chronic disease management are the most important and mandated functions.

Local interaction strategies and capacity for better care in nursing homes: a multiple case study.

BACKGROUND: To describe relationship patterns and management practices in nursing homes (NHs) that facilitate or pose barriers to better outcomes for residents and staff. METHODS: We conducted comparative, multiple-case studies in selected NHs (N = 4). Data were collected over six months from managers and staff (N = 406), using direct observations, interviews, and document reviews. Manifest content analysis was used to identify and explore patterns within and between cases. RESULTS: Participants described interaction strategies that they explained could either degrade or enhance their capacity to achieve better outcomes for residents; people in all job categories used these 'local interaction strategies'. We categorized these two sets of local interaction strategies as the 'common pattern' and the 'positive pattern' and summarize the results in two models of local interaction. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest the hypothesis that when staff members in NHs use the set of positive local interaction strategies, they promote inter-connections, information exchange, and diversity of cognitive schema in problem solving that, in turn, create the capacity for delivering better resident care. We propose that these positive local interaction strategies are a critical driver of care quality in NHs. Our hypothesis implies that, while staffing levels and skill mix are important factors for care quality, improvement would be difficult to achieve if staff members are not engaged with each other in these ways.

Adaptive leadership and person-centered care: a new approach to solving problems.

Successfully transitioning to person-centered care in nursing homes requires a new approach to solving care issues. The adaptive leadership framework suggests that expert providers must support frontline caregivers in their efforts to develop high-quality, person-centered solutions.

Assessing social connection for long-term care home residents: Systematic review using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments guidelines.

Social connection is important for long-term care (LTC) residents' quality of life and care. However, there is a lack of consensus on how to measure it and this limits ability to find what improves and impairs social connection in LTC homes. We therefore aimed to systematically review and evaluate the measurement properties of existing measures of social connection for LTC residents, to identify which, if any, measures can be recommended. We searched eight electronic databases from inception to April 2022 for studies which reported on psychometric properties of a measure of any aspect(s) of social connection (including social networks, interaction, engagement, support, isolation, connectedness, and loneliness) for LTC residents. We used COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) guidelines to evaluate the measurement properties reported for each identified measure and make recommendations. We identified 62 studies reporting on 38 measures; 21 measured quality of life, well-being or life satisfaction and included a social connection subscale or standalone items and 17 measures specifically targeted social connection. We found there was little high-quality evidence on psychometric properties such as sufficient content validity (n = 0), structural validity (n = 3), internal consistency (n = 3), reliability (n = 1), measurement error (n = 0), construct validity (n = 4), criterion validity (n = 0) and responsiveness (n = 0). No measures demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties on all these aspects, so none could be recommended for use. Thirty-four measures have the potential to be recommended but require further research to assess their quality and the remaining four are not recommended for use. Our review therefore found that no existing measures have sufficient evidence to be recommended for assessment of social connection in residents of LTC homes. Further validation and reliability studies of existing instruments or the development of new measures are needed to enable accurate measurement of social connection in LTC residents for future observational and interventional studies. Highlights: Social connection is fundamental to person-centered care in long-term care homes.There is insufficient evidence for the reliability and validity of existing measures.No current measures can be recommended for use based on existing evidence.A reliable and valid measure of social connection is needed for future research.

Licensed practical nurse scope of practice and quality of nursing home care.

BACKGROUND: Although higher levels of registered nurse (RN) staffing in nursing homes are related to better care quality, licensed practical nurses (LPNs) provide most licensed-nursing care; prior research is mixed regarding how this influences quality. The nature of LPN practice, and RN direction of that practice, follows in part from state nurse practice acts (NPAs). OBJECTIVE: Among the 50 states and the District of Columbia, the aims of this study were to describe regulatory differences in how LPNs contribute to nursing assessment, care planning, delegation and supervision, and RN practice in these domains and to explore how these regulatory differences relate to quality of care in nursing homes. METHODS: The study design was a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design of NPAs and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid quality measures of long-stay nursing home residents. In the qualitative strand, 51 NPAs and related administrative code were analyzed to classify guidance on RN and LPN practice; then, the coded data were transformed to quantitative indicators of specificity regarding LPN and RN scope of practice. In the quantitative strand, state NPA data were linked to facility-level Centers for Medicare and Medicaid staffing and quality measures (N = 12,698 facilities) for cross-sectional, quantitative analyses. RESULTS: States varied considerably in how NPAs guided LPN and RN scope of practice. NPA differences were related to quality indicators of resident pain, catheter use, weight loss, and restraints, even when accounting for nursing home staff mix. DISCUSSION: Care quality was better in states where the NPA clearly described LPN scope, but only when there was also greater RN availability (p < .05). Classifying scope of nursing practice regulations moves beyond traditional staffing measures to inform understanding of the effects of the RN-to-LPN staffing ratio on quality of care in nursing homes.

Pain medication management in nursing homes and nursing scope of practice.

Inadequate pain medication management is pervasive in nursing homes (NHs). Licensed practical nurses (LPNs) deliver the majority of licensed nursing care, but LPNs are neither trained nor licensed to provide comprehensive pain assessment and medication management. In this study, we describe how pain medication management occurs in NHs by exploring LPNs' management approaches, while considering scope-of-practice differences between RNs and LPNs. Using comparative case studies of 10 NHs in North Carolina and Minnesota, we found practice variations in pain detection, assessment, and medication administration. Differences clustered in three areas: (a) the extent to which RNs and LPNs connected formally and informally to provide pain care, (b) the degree to which RNs and LPNs were considered interchangeable with one another, and (c) the RN-to-LPN ratio. Results highlight quality issues and suggest ways to improve pain medication management in NHs.

COPD-Related Fatigue: A Scoping Review.

Millions of people worldwide have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and one of the most common and troublesome symptoms that must be managed is fatigue. While there are existing interventions to address COPD-related fatigue, not all patients experience benefit. A better understanding of the factors associated with COPD-fatigue could elucidate new approaches to address COPD-related fatigue, thereby offering relief to a greater number of patients. The purpose of this review was to identify the physiologic, psychologic, and situational factors associated with COPD-related fatigue. A total of four databases, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar, were searched. Those that were peer reviewed, in English, and published between 2000 and 2021, were included in the review. A total of 25 articles were included in this scoping review. The following factors were related to fatigue in COPD: dyspnea, pain, anxiety, depression, and sleep. Fatigue is a debilitating symptom with factors influential to the symptom and outcomes. Research is indicated to explore targeted and personalized interventions addressing the factors related to fatigue to mitigate this widespread symptom.