Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Development and evaluation of an aged care specific Advance Care Plan
William Silvester1, Ruth A Parslow, Virginia J Lewis
1Respecting Patient Choices, Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia.
BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
|April 30, 2013
Summary
Advance care planning (ACP) documents in aged care facilities often lacked clarity on life-prolonging treatments. A new template improved documentation quality, specifying resident wishes and unacceptable health situations.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Palliative Care
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Advance care planning (ACP) is crucial for respecting patient autonomy and preferences in aged care.
- Existing documentation in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) often has quality issues regarding end-of-life wishes.
- Systematic interventions are needed to improve ACP processes in aged care settings.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the quality of existing ACP documents in Victorian RACFs before an intervention.
- To develop and assess an aged care-specific ACP template during a systematic intervention.
- To improve the quality of ACP documentation and processes within the residential aged care sector.
Main Methods:
- An audit of pre-intervention ACP documentation quality in 19 RACFs across Victoria.
- Development and pilot testing of a new, aged care-specific ACP template.
- A post-intervention audit of ACP documents completed using the new template.
Main Results:
- Pre-intervention documents frequently lacked clear specifications on life-prolonging medical treatment (7/12 failed).
- The new ACP template was well-received, with 203 plans completed.
- Post-intervention plans showed high rates of specifying medical treatment requests (97%), refusal of life-prolonging treatment (73%), and including resident values (90%).
Conclusions:
- Standardized ACP procedures and documentation are essential for improving quality in aged care.
- The developed template demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing the quality of ACP documents.
- Further implementation of standardized ACP tools is recommended for the residential aged care sector.
Related Concept Videos
01:21Planning Nursing Care I
The planning phase of the nursing process helps nurses set priorities, outline patient-centered goals and expected outcomes, and tailor nursing interventions to align with the aligned care plan. Through the planning phase, the nurse applies critical thinking skills to align and develop interventions according to the patient's needs. It provides continuity of care allowing patients to receive the maximum benefit from treatment. It serves as a pilot plan for allocating individual staff to a...
01:29Planning Nursing Care II
A nursing care plan can present in two forms: informal and formal. Informal is a care plan for the individual use of the nurse and goals they wish to accomplish during their shift. Informal care plans are not included in the patient chart. A formal nursing care plan is a written or computerized guide that organizes patient care. It is further subdivided into two: standardized and individualized care plans. Standardized care plans are pre-populated care plans for specific patient populations,...
01:29Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Documentation in long-term care facilities and home healthcare settings is crucial for ensuring continuous, coordinated, and comprehensive care for patients. Each setting has its specific documentation processes and tools:
Long-Term Care Facilities
Long-Term Care Facilities
01:19Standards of Care II
Nurses bear specific legal responsibilities under several federal statutes, including:
01:15Nursing Implementation
Implementation is the execution of the nursing care plan developed during the planning phase.
The five steps to implementing effective nursing care include reassessing the patient, reviewing and revising the existing nursing care plan, organizing the resources and care delivery, anticipating and preventing complications, and implementing nursing interventions.
The five steps to implementing effective nursing care include reassessing the patient, reviewing and revising the existing nursing care plan, organizing the resources and care delivery, anticipating and preventing complications, and implementing nursing interventions.
01:15Nursing Evaluation
The evaluation stage signals the end of the nursing process. The nurse gathers evaluative data to assess whether or not the patient has attained the expected results. Whereas the nurse collects data in the nursing assessment to identify the patient's health concerns, the evaluation stage data determines if the indicated health issues are resolved. Evaluative data collection includes two sections: the data acquired to evaluate patient outcomes and the time criteria for data collection.
Section...
Section...