Project description:CONTEXT:U.S. nursing home (NH) residents with dementia have limited access to specialty palliative care beyond Medicare hospice. OBJECTIVES:The objective of this study was to examine the value of expanded palliative care access for NH residents with moderate-to-very severe dementia. METHODS:We merged palliative care consultation data in 31 NHs in two states to Medicare data to identify residents with consultations, moderate-to-very severe dementia, and deaths in 2006-2010. Initial palliative consultations were identified as occurring later and earlier (1-30 days and 31-180 days before death, respectively). Three controls for each consultation recipient were selected using propensity score matching. Weighted multivariate analyses evaluated the effect of consultations on hospital or acute care use seven and 30 days before death and on (potentially) burdensome transitions (i.e., hospital or hospice admission three days before death or two plus acute care transitions 30 days before death). RESULTS:With earlier consultation (vs. no consultation), hospitalization rates in the seven days before death were on average 13.2 percentage points lower (95% confidence interval [CI] -21.8%, -4.7%) and with later consultation 5.9 percentage points lower (95% CI -13.7%, +4.9%). For earlier consultations (vs. no consultations), rates were 18.4 percentage points lower (95% CI -28.5%, -8.4%) for hospitalizations and 11.9 lower (95% CI -20.7%, -3.1%) for emergency room visits 30 days before death; they were 20.2 percentage points lower (95% CI -28.5%, -12.0%) for burdensome transitions. CONCLUSION:Consultations appear to reduce acute care use and (potentially) burdensome transitions for dying residents with dementia. Reductions were greater when consultations were earlier.
Project description:BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES:Secondary prevention medications are recommended for older adults after acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but little is known about whether nursing home (NH) residents receive these medications. The objective was to evaluate new use of secondary prevention medications after AMI in NH residents who were previously nonusers and to evaluate what factors were associated with use. DESIGN:Retrospective cohort using linked national Minimum Data Set assessments; Online Survey, Certification and Reporting records; and Medicare claims. SETTING:U.S. NHs. PARTICIPANTS:National cohort of 11,192 NH residents aged 65 and older who were hospitalized for an AMI between May 2007 and March 2010, had no beta-blocker or statin use for 4 months or longer before the hospitalization, and survived 14 days or more after NH readmission. MEASUREMENTS:The outcome was the number of secondary prevention medications initiated within 30 days of NH readmission. RESULTS:Thirty-seven percent of residents had no secondary prevention medications initiated after AMI, 41% had 1 initiated, and 22% had 2 initiated. After covariate adjustment, fewer secondary prevention medications were used in older residents (proportional odds ratio (POR) = 0.48, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.40-0.57 for ?95 vs 65-74); women (POR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.80-0.96);and those with a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order (POR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.83-0.98), functional impairment (dependent or totally dependent vs independent to limited assistance, POR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.69-0.86), and cognitive impairment (moderate to severe vs no impairment, POR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.70-0.89). CONCLUSION:More than one-third of older NH residents in the United States do not have any secondary prevention medications initiated after AMI, with fewer medications initiated in older residents; women; and those with, DNR orders, poor physical function, and cognitive impairment. A lack of evidence about the safety and effectiveness of secondary preventions medications in the NH population and unmeasured person-centered goals of care are plausible explanations for these findings.
Project description:BackgroundDespite recommendations to integrate palliative care into nursing home care, little is known about the most effective ways to meet this goal.ObjectiveTo examine the characteristics and effectiveness of nursing home interventions that incorporated multiple palliative care domains (eg, physical aspects of care-symptom management, and ethical aspects-advance care planning).DesignSystematic review.MethodsWe searched MEDLINE via PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library's CENTRAL from inception through January 2019. We included all randomized and nonrandomized trials that compared palliative care to usual care and an active comparator. We assessed the type of intervention, outcomes, and the risk of bias.ResultsWe screened 1167 records for eligibility and included 13 articles. Most interventions focused on staff education and training strategies and on implementing a palliative care team. Many interventions integrated advance care planning initiatives into the intervention. We found that palliative care interventions in nursing homes may enhance palliative care practices, including processes to assess and manage pain and symptoms. However, inconsistent outcomes and high or unclear risk of bias among most studies requires results to be interpreted with caution.Conclusions and implicationsHeterogeneity in methodology, findings, and study bias within the existing literature revealed limited evidence for nursing home palliative care interventions. Findings from a small group of diverse clinical trials suggest that interventions enhanced nursing home palliative care and improved symptom assessment and management processes.
Project description:Medication reconciliation is a safety practice to identify medication order discrepancies when patients' transitions between settings. In nursing homes, registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs), each group with different education preparation and scope of practice responsibilities, perform medication reconciliation. However, little is known about how they differ in practice when making sense of medication orders to detect discrepancies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe differences in RN and LPN sensemaking when detecting discrepancies.We used a qualitative methodology in a study of 13 RNs and 13 LPNs working in 12 Midwestern United States nursing homes. We used both conventional content analysis and directed content analysis methods to analyze semi-structured interviews. Four resident transfer vignettes embedded with medication order discrepancies guided the interviews. Participants were asked to describe their roles with medication reconciliation and their rationale for identifying medication order discrepancies within the vignettes as well as to share their experiences of performing medication reconciliation. The analysis approach was guided by Weick's Sensemaking theory.RNs provided explicit stories of identifying medication order discrepancies as well as examples of clinical reasoning to assure medication order appropriateness whereas LPNs described comparing medication lists. RNs and LPNs both acknowledged competing demands, but when performing medication reconciliation, RNs were more concerned about accuracy and safety, whereas LPNs were more concerned about time.Nursing home nurses, particularly RNs, are in an important position to identify discrepancies that could cause resident harm. Both RNs and LPNs are valuable assets to nursing home care and keeping residents safe, yet RNs offer a unique contribution to complex processes such as medication reconciliation. Nursing home leaders must acknowledge the differences in RN and LPN contributions and make certain nurses in the most qualified role are assigned to ensure residents remain safe.
Project description:PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate what types and forms of support nursing staff need in providing palliative care for persons with dementia. Another aim was to compare the needs of nursing staff with different educational levels and working in home care or in nursing homes.DesignA cross-sectional, descriptive survey design was used.MethodsA questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of Dutch nursing staff working in the home care or nursing home setting. Data were collected from July through October 2018. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data from two open-ended survey questions were investigated using content analysis.FindingsThe sample comprised 416 respondents. Nursing staff with different educational levels and working in different settings indicated largely similar needs. The highest-ranking needs for support were in dealing with family disagreement in end-of-life decision making (58%), dealing with challenging behaviors (41%), and recognizing and managing pain (38%). The highest-ranking form of support was peer-to-peer learning (51%). If respondents would have more time to do their work, devoting personal attention would be a priority.ConclusionsNursing staff with different educational levels and working in home care or in nursing homes endorsed similar needs in providing palliative care for persons with dementia and their loved ones.Clinical relevanceIt is critical to understand the specific needs of nursing staff in order to develop tailored strategies. Interventions aimed at increasing the competence of nursing staff in providing palliative care for persons with dementia may target similar areas to support a heterogeneous group of nurses and nurse assistants, working in home care or in a nursing home.
Project description:To examine the association between CNS medication burden and serious falls in those with a recent fall history.Nested-case control study; cases matched to four controls by age, gender, and date.US nursing homes.5,556 residents age ?65 with a recent fall history admitted to a nursing home between 1/1-9/30/2010 and followed until discharge, death, or December 31, 2010.Outcome was serious falls as per Medicare Part A and B ICD/CPT codes. CNS burden, from Medicare Part D data, was calculated by dividing the daily dose of each CNS agent (i.e., specific antidepressants, antiepileptic, antipsychotic, benzodiazepine and opioid receptor agonists) received during the 6 days prior to the index (outcome) date by the minimum effective geriatric daily dose and summing the results across medications.There were 367 cases and 1,468 matched controls. Those taking 3 + CNS standardized daily doses were more likely to have a serious fall than those not taking any CNS medications (Adjusted Odds Ratio 1.83; 95% confidence interval 1.35-2.48). There was no significant difference in fall risk for residents taking >0 to <3 CNS standardized daily doses compared to residents taking no CNS medications (Adjusted Odds Ratio 0.85; 95% CI 0.63-1.15).CNS medication burden, approximately 3 + standardized daily doses, was associated with an increased risk of serious falls in nursing home residents with recent fall. Clinicians should be vigilant for opportunities to discontinue or decrease the doses of individual CNS medications and/or consider non-pharmacological alternatives. Such interventions that reduce use of CNS medications in nursing homes could reduce fall rates but further research is needed to confirm this.
Project description:BackgroundThe use of psychotropic medications and their adverse effects in frail elderly has been debated extensively. However, recent data from European studies show that these drugs are still frequently prescribed in nursing home residents. In Austria, prevalence data are lacking. We aimed to determine the prevalence of psychotropic medication prescription in Austrian nursing homes and to explore characteristics associated with their prescription.MethodsCross-sectional study and association analysis in forty-eight out of 50 nursing homes with 1844 out of a total of 2005 residents in a defined urban-rural region in Austria. Prescribed medication was retrieved from residents' charts. Psychotropic medications were coded according to the Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification 2005. Cluster-adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate institutional and residents' characteristics associated with prescription.ResultsResidents' mean age was 81; 73% of residents were female. Mean cluster-adjusted prevalence of residents with at least one psychotropic medication was 74.6% (95% confidence interval, CI, 72.0-77.2). A total of 45.9% (95% CI 42.7-49.1) had at least one prescription of an antipsychotic medication. Two third of all antipsychotic medications were prescribed for bedtime use only. Anxiolytics were prescribed in 22.2% (95% CI 20.0-24.5), hypnotics in 13.3% (95% CI 11.3-15.4), and antidepressants in 36.8% (95% CI 34.1-39.6) of residents. None of the institutional characteristics and only few residents' characteristics were significantly associated with psychotropic medication prescription. Permanent restlessness was positively associated with psychotropic medication prescription (AOR 1.54, 95% CI 1.32-1.79) whereas cognitive impairment was inversely associated (AOR 0.70, 95% CI 0.56-0.88).ConclusionFrequency of psychotropic medication prescription is high in Austrian nursing homes compared to recent published data from other countries. Interventions should aim at reduction and optimisation of prescriptions.
Project description:Staffing level requirements for nursing homes exist at state and federal levels in the United States. While quality of care measures may include antipsychotic (AP) prescribing, the appropriate use of APs as chemical restraints in nursing homes continues to be debated. Although the two variables appear to be related, improved research methods and availability of accurate staffing data will be needed to understand causal relationships regarding AP use for facility dwelling patients.
Project description:BackgroundHospitalization of nursing home (NH) residents impose a significant healthcare burden. However, there is still a lack of information regarding the risk of hospitalization from inappropriate prescribing in NH residents. We aimed to estimate the nationwide prevalence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use among NH residents using the Korean tool and 2019 Beers criteria and to assess their associations with hospitalization or emergency department (ED) visits.MethodsWe included older adults aged 65 years or above who were admitted to NHs between July 2008 and December 2018 using national senior cohort database. The prevalence of PIM use based on the Korean medication review tool and Beers criteria on the date of admission to NH was estimated. And the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of polypharmacy, numbers of PIM, each PIM category for hospitalization/ED visits within 30 days of admission to NH was calculated using Cox proportional hazard model to show the association.ResultsAmong 20,306 NH residents, the average number of medications per person was 7.5 ± 4.7. A total of 89.3% and 67.9% of the NH residents had at least one PIM based on the Korean tool and 2019 Beers criteria, respectively. The risk of ED visits or hospitalization significantly increased with the number of PIMs based on the Korean tool (1-3: aHR = 1.24, CI 1.03-1.49; ≥4: aHR = 1.46, CI 1.20-1.79). Having four or more PIMs based on the Beers criteria increased the risk significantly (aHR = 1.30, CI 1.06-1.53) while using 1-3 PIMs was not significantly associated (aHR = 1.07, CI 0.97-1.19). Residents with any potential medication omission according to the Korean criteria, were at 23% higher risk of hospitalization or ED visits (aHR = 1.23, CI 1.07-1.40).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that PIMs, based on the Korean tool and Beers criteria, were prevalent among older adults living in NHs and the use of PIMs were associated with hospitalization or ED visits. The number of PIMs based on the Korean tool showed dose-response increase in the risk of hospitalization or ED visits.