Hospital policies and nurses' attitudes in Israel towards paid carers' tasks during patient hospitalization

Many hospitalized older patients are functionally dependent and, during their hospitalization, employ paid caregivers to perform various tasks. This study examined nurses' attitudes regarding the tasks these care workers should or should not be allowed to perform in providing care during hospitalization, and the factors underlying nurses' attitudes towards these paid carers. The study involved interviews of five key informants such as head nurses and medical directors in two general hospitals and surveys of 265 nurses in internal medicine and geriatric wards. Although no formal policies or guidelines existed with respect to the tasks that paid carers perform, most nurses believed that paid carers caregivers should be allowed to perform certain tasks except for those involving professional nursing. Hospital and nurses' characteristics were significant in explaining nurses' attitudes towards paid carers' involvement with older care recipients. The study results indicate a need for explicit policies and practice guidelines for paid carers of older patients during hospitalization.