[Geriatric rehabilitation care: Doing the right things right]

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Nursing
• Healthcare Professional Competencies

Background:

• Geriatric rehabilitation focuses on functional recovery and social participation for frail elderly.
• Effective geriatric care requires nurses to have specific competencies for symptom identification and intervention.
• Nurses report apprehension and difficulties in multidisciplinary communication within geriatric rehabilitation settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' perceptions of their role in geriatric rehabilitation.
• To understand the factors contributing to nurses' apprehension in performing their tasks.
• To investigate the discrepancies between client/caregiver and nurse/team leader perceptions of care.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study employing both quantitative (questionnaires) and qualitative (interviews) components.
• Data collected from clients, informal caregivers, nurses, and team leaders.
• Qualitative data gathered through open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews to explore opinions and reflections.

Main Results:

• Clients and caregivers expressed more negative views on information provision, treatment plan involvement, and consideration of life events compared to nurses and team leaders.
• Nurses' apprehension in performing tasks adequately was identified as a key factor influencing these discrepancies.
• Specific concerns include uncertainty about client reactions and fear of damaging trust, impacting goal-setting and integration of life events.

Conclusions:

• Nurses in geriatric rehabilitation experience significant apprehension in task performance, affecting their confidence and approach.
• Fear of client reactions and lack of specific competencies hinder the involvement of clients and caregivers in rehabilitation goal development.
• Recommendations focus on enhancing nurses' skills and confidence to foster better client-centered care and collaboration.