Challenges in conducting research with acutely ill hospitalized older patients

Older people are major users of acute hospital services, yet the research evidence devoted to issues which affect them does not reflect this situation. In this Australian paper, the authors reflect upon the issues raised by a study they undertook in an acute ward setting. This project used a questionnaire with Likert-type scales, followed by open-ended questions, in order to explore perceptions of the relative importance of various aspects of nursing care. Issues encountered when the questionnaire was administered included fatigue, visual impairment and hearing difficulties. The authors stress that many of the problems they had to overcome reflected the changing nature of acute care, rather than the age of the subjects. Intensive treatment regimes and the constant pressure to achieve early discharge have both had a major impact on the opportunities a researcher may have to interview subjects.