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Sustaining a best-care practice in a nursing home
Cornelia Beck1, Patricia Heacock, Susan O Mercer
1Department of Geriatrics, National Institute on Aging, Alzheime's Disease Center at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, USA. beckcornelia@uams.edu
Summary
Participatory management practices in nursing homes can sustain best-care protocols. However, sustained quality care also needs regulatory support, adequate staffing, and influential change coordinators.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Healthcare Management
- Nursing Research
Background:
- Nursing homes face challenges in sustaining high-quality care protocols.
- Organizational interventions are crucial for implementing and maintaining best practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate if an action research intervention promoting participatory management sustains a nursing best-care protocol.
- To identify factors essential for sustaining best practices in long-term care settings.
Main Methods:
- A 4-year quasi-experimental study comparing an experimental nursing home (EH) with a control nursing home (CH).
- Utilized a pretest/posttest design with data collection on residents, families, and staff.
- Proximal outcomes included staff turnover, demographics, job stress, nursing care quality, family involvement, and satisfaction.
Main Results:
- Participatory management interventions showed potential for sustaining best-care protocols.
- Organizational changes were indicated by shifts in staff turnover, job stress, and satisfaction levels.
- Sustaining practices required more than just organizational change.
Conclusions:
- Implementing participatory management is a key step towards sustaining nursing best-care protocols.
- Sustaining quality care necessitates regulatory support, adequate staffing, and influential change leadership.
- A multi-faceted approach is required for long-term success in nursing home quality improvement.