Advance care planning plays a pivotal role in ensuring that the wishes and preferences of nursing home residents are documented and respected. However, we have often heard from care home staff and family members that they feel ill-prepared for these conversations. This led us to develop a website intervention that aimed to provide training and information specifically tailored to advance care planning during the pandemic. The website can be accessed here: https://covidacpcarehomes.com/
In our study, we worked with several nursing homes across the UK to gather information. We interviewed care staff and family members using structured questions, and carefully analysed their responses to uncover important insights. We organized these insights into themes and compared them across different cases. This approach helped us understand the experiences of care staff and families in a meaningful way. The participation of eight nursing homes, including 35 care staff and 19 family members, enriched our research. The findings shed light on several key themes.
Firstly, the website content we provided was well received, indicating the importance of accessible and relevant information for all stakeholders involved. Secondly, we gathered suggestions for improvement, ensuring that the website intervention can be continuously enhanced to meet your specific needs. We also identified implementation barriers and facilitators, highlighting areas where additional support may be required. Finally, we discovered inspiring examples of the organizational and personal impact that effective advance care planning can have on both residents and their families.
Our research has led us to develop four key ideas that can improve advance care planning in nursing homes. These ideas focus on the need for better training and information, making sure that the planning process is accessible to everyone, considering the unique context of each resident, and emphasizing the importance of open and honest conversations. These ideas have practical implications that can positively impact your daily practice and training. The full article describing the website and study findings can be accessed freely here: https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-03099-z
By incorporating these findings into your daily practice, you can make a meaningful impact on the lives of residents and their families. Together, we can ensure that advance care planning is approached with empathy, understanding, and the utmost respect for individual wishes. Together, we can create a nurturing environment that upholds the dignity and well-being of nursing home residents.
Gary Mitchell | RCN Older People’s Forum Chair | Senior Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast
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