Mental illness training for long term care staff

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Mental Health
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Mental illness is a significant concern among nursing home residents.
• Direct care staff, such as nurse aides (NAs), often lack adequate training in managing mental health conditions.
• There is a need for accessible and effective training solutions for healthcare professionals in long-term care settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate an internet-based mental illness training program for certified nurse aides (NAs).
• To conduct pilot research on the same program for licensed health professionals (LHPs).
• To assess the program's effects on knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavioral intentions, as well as its acceptance among participants.

Main Methods:

• Two trials were conducted online: a randomized controlled trial for NAs (n=70) and a quasi-experimental study for LHPs (n=16).
• The intervention involved internet-based behavioral skills training and knowledge building using video modeling and mastery learning.
• Outcomes were measured using pre-post assessments, including video-based situational testing and follow-up interviews for a subset of NAs.

Main Results:

• The NA training group showed statistically significant improvements (P = .003) in knowledge, attitudes, self-efficacy, and behavioral intention, with medium to large effect sizes.
• The LHP group demonstrated significant positive effects on 5 out of 6 outcome measures, also with medium to large effect sizes.
• Both nurse aides and licensed health professionals reported positive reception and acceptance of the internet-based training program.

Conclusions:

• Internet-based training is a viable and effective method for educating healthcare staff on managing mental illness in nursing home residents.
• The program successfully enhanced participants' skills and attitudes, indicating its potential for widespread implementation.
• The positive reception by both NAs and LHPs suggests the program's suitability and user-friendliness for diverse healthcare professionals.