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Continuums of Change in a Competence-Building Initiative Addressing End-of-Life Communication in Swedish Elder Care.

ABSTRACT: Conversations about values for the end-of-life (EoL) between residents, relatives, and staff may allow EoL preparation and enable value-concordant care, but remain rare in residential care home (RCH) practice. In this article, longitudinal qualitative analysis was used to explore changes in staff discussions about EoL conversations throughout workshop series based on reflection and knowledge exchange to promote EoL communication in RCHs. We identified three overall continuums of change: EoL conversations became perceived as more feasible and valuable; conceptualizations of quality EoL care shifted from being generalizable to acknowledging individual variation; and staff's role in facilitating EoL communication as a prerequisite for care decision-making was emphasized. Two mechanisms influenced changes: cognitively and emotionally approaching one's own mortality and shifting perspectives of EoL care. This study adds nuance and details about changes in staff reasoning, and the mechanisms that underlie them, which are important aspects to consider in future EoL competence-building initiatives.

SUBMITTER: Johansson T

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8446900 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Continuums of Change in a Competence-Building Initiative Addressing End-of-Life Communication in Swedish Elder Care.

Johansson Therese T Tishelman Carol C Cohen Joachim J Eriksson Lars E LE Goliath Ida I

Qualitative health research 20210513 10

Conversations about values for the end-of-life (EoL) between residents, relatives, and staff may allow EoL preparation and enable value-concordant care, but remain rare in residential care home (RCH) practice. In this article, longitudinal qualitative analysis was used to explore changes in staff discussions about EoL conversations throughout workshop series based on reflection and knowledge exchange to promote EoL communication in RCHs. We identified three overall continuums of change: EoL conv ...[more]

PMID: 33980082

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Project description:BackgroundMedication errors are a common type of preventable errors in health care causing unnecessary patient harm, hospitalization, and even fatality. Improving communication between providers and between providers and patients is a key aspect of decreasing medication errors and improving patient safety. Medication management requires extensive collaboration and communication across roles and care settings, which can reduce (or contribute to) medication-related errors. Medication management involves key recurrent activities (determine need, prescribe, dispense, administer, and monitor/evaluate) with information communicated within and between each. Despite its importance, there is a lack of conceptual models that explore medication communication specifically across roles and settings. This research seeks to address that gap.MethodsThe Circle of Care Modeling (CCM) approach was used to build a model of medication communication activities across the circle of care. CCM positions the patient in the centre of his or her own healthcare system; providers and other roles are then modeled around the patient as a web of relationships. Recurrent medication communication activities were mapped to the medication management framework. The research occurred in three iterations, to test and revise the model: Iteration 1 consisted of a literature review and internal team discussion, Iteration 2 consisted of interviews, observation, and a discussion group at a Community Health Centre, and Iteration 3 consisted of interviews and a discussion group in the larger community.ResultsEach iteration provided further detail to the Circle of Care medication communication model. Specific medication communication activities were mapped along each communication pathway between roles and to the medication management framework. We could not map all medication communication activities to the medication management framework; we added Coordinate as a separate and distinct recurrent activity. We saw many examples of coordination activities, for instance, Medical Office Assistants acting as a liaison between pharmacists and family physicians to clarify prescription details.ConclusionsThrough the use of CCM we were able to unearth tacitly held knowledge to expand our understanding of medication communication. Drawing out the coordination activities could be a missing piece for us to better understand how to streamline and improve multi-step communication processes with a goal of improving patient safety.

Project description:BackgroundSwedish municipalities are facing demographic challenges due to the growing number of older people and the resulting increased need for health care services. Welfare technologies are being launched as possible solutions for meeting some of these challenges.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to explore the perception, experimentation, evaluation, and procurement of welfare technology practices among professionals working in municipal elder care in relation to their gender, age, and profession.MethodsData for this explorative cross-sectional study were collected from 393 responses to a web-based survey on municipal elder care in Sweden. Chi square tests were performed to determine the associations.ResultsThe results revealed gender, age, and professional differences in perspectives of municipal elder care workers. Differences were particularly evident in attitudes toward technology, both the use of technology in general and in the workplace, and involvement and participation in decision making regarding the procurement of new welfare technologies. Men (37/53, 70%) expressed a more positive attitude toward and curiosity regarding new technologies than women (157/336, 46.7%) (P=.03). Regarding age, the younger respondents (18-24 years old) perceived the digital transformation in the workplace as "too slow" (4/4, 100%), whereas the majority of older respondents (65-74 years old) perceived it as happening at the "right pace" (4/7, 57%). The elder care personnel felt encouraged by management to explore and experiment with new welfare technologies, but never did so either for management or with patients. Even though the majority of the respondents were women, more men (4/7, 57%) were involved in the procurement process for welfare technology devices and solutions than women (98/336, 29.2%) (P<.001).ConclusionsPersonnel working within municipal elder care were generally very positive toward new technologies. However, both gender and age differences may influence these perspectives such as the personnel's resistance to welfare technology and patients' participation in welfare technology usage and deployment. Different levels of participation in the decision-making process regarding new technology deployment may negatively affect the overall digital transformation within municipal elder care.

Project description:ImportanceOlder adults, especially those with frailty, have a higher risk for complications and death after emergency surgery. Acute Care for the Elderly models have been successful in medical wards, but little evidence is available for patients in surgical wards.ObjectivesTo develop and assess the effect of an Elder-Friendly Approaches to the Surgical Environment (EASE) model in an emergency surgical setting.Design, setting, and participantsThis prospective, nonrandomized, controlled before-and-after study included patients 65 years or older who presented to the emergency general surgery service of 2 tertiary care hospitals in Alberta, Canada. Transfers from other medical services, patients undergoing elective surgery or with trauma, and nursing home residents were excluded. Of 6795 patients screened, a total of 684 (544 in the nonintervention group and 140 in the intervention group) were included. Data were collected from April 14, 2014, to March 28, 2017, and analyzed from November 16, 2018, through May 30, 2019.InterventionsIntegration of a geriatric assessment team, optimization of evidence-based elder-friendly practices, promotion of patient-oriented rehabilitation, and early discharge planning.Main outcomes and measuresProportion of participants experiencing a major complication or death (composite) in the hospital, Comprehensive Complication Index, length of hospital stay, and proportion of participants who required an alternative level of care on discharge. Covariate-adjusted, within-site change scores were computed, and the overall between-site, preintervention-postintervention difference-in-differences (DID) were analyzed.ResultsA total of 684 patients were included in the analysis (mean [SD] age, 76.0 [7.6] years; 327 women [47.8%] and 357 men [52.2%]), of whom 139 (20.3%) were frail. At the intervention site, in-hospital major complications or death decreased by 19% (51 of 153 [33.3%] vs 19 of 140 [13.6%]; P < .001; DID P = .06), and mean (SE) Comprehensive Complication Index decreased by 12.2 (2.5) points (P < .001; DID P < .001). Median length of stay decreased by 3 days (10 [interquartile range (IQR), 6-17] days to 7 [IQR, 5-14] days; P = .001; DID P = .61), and fewer patients required an alternative level of care at discharge (61 of 153 [39.9%] vs 29 of 140 [20.7%]; P < .001; DID P = .11).Conclusions and relevanceTo our knowledge, this is the first study to examine clinical outcomes associated with a novel elder-friendly surgical care delivery redesign. The findings suggest the clinical effectiveness of such an approach by reducing major complications or death, decreasing hospital stays, and returning patients to their home residence.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02233153.

Project description:BackgroundProactive conversations about individual preferences between residents, relatives, and staff can support person-centred, value-concordant end-of-life (EOL) care. Nevertheless, prevalence of such conversations is still low in residential care homes (RCHs), often relating to staff's perceived lack of skills and confidence. Using tools may help staff to facilitate EOL conversations. While many EOL-specific tools are script-based and focus on identifying and documenting treatment priorities, the DöBra card tool is developed to stimulate reflection and conversation about EOL care values and preferences. In this study, we explore staff's experiences of use, usability, and perceived impact of the DöBra cards in supporting discussion about EOL care in RCH settings.MethodsThis qualitative study was based on data from two participatory action research processes in which RCH staff tested and evaluated use of DöBra cards in EOL conversations. Data comprise 6 interviews and 8 group meetings with a total of 13 participants from 7 facilities. Qualitative content analysis was performed to identify key concepts in relation to use, usability, and impact of the DöBra cards in RCH practice.ResultsBased on participants' experiences of using the DöBra cards as an EOL conversation tool in RCHs, we identified three main categories in relation to its usefulness. Outcomes of using the cards (1) included the outlining of content of conversations and supporting connection and development of rapport. Perceived impact (2) related to enabling openings for future communication and aligning care goals between stakeholders. Use and usability of the cards (3) were influenced by supporting and limiting factors on the personal and contextual level.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates how the DöBra cards was found to be useful by staff for facilitating conversations about EOL values, influencing both the content of discussion and interactions between those present. The tool encouraged reflection and interaction, which staff perceived as potentially helpful in building preparedness for future care-decision making. The combination of providing a shared framework and being adaptable in use appeared to be key features for the DöBra cards usability in the RCH setting.

Dataset Information

Continuums of Change in a Competence-Building Initiative Addressing End-of-Life Communication in Swedish Elder Care.

Publications

Continuums of Change in a Competence-Building Initiative Addressing End-of-Life Communication in Swedish Elder Care.

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