The information-seeking patterns of care aides who work in nursing homes

To explore the information-seeking patterns of care aides who work in nursing homes.

Under the direction and supervision of nursing professionals, care aides provide the majority of direct care to nursing home residents. Understanding how, why, when and where they seek information to perform their duties is important for managers, policymakers and stakeholders.

Semi-structured interviews with eight care aides employed in three Canadian nursing homes were analysed using the Braun and Clarke method of thematic analysis.

Five prominent information-seeking patterns emerged as themes.

Care aides were motivated to seek information for personal and job-based reasons that included wanting to avoid mistakes and preparing physically, mentally and emotionally for the work ahead. They described depending on a social hierarchy of verbal information and using personal time (before/after work) to seek the information they needed. Due to time constraints, they relied on established patterns, accessed online information once a day at most and preferred paper-based sources.

Programs to enhance care aide communication skills to include the importance of information-seeking are warranted. Time for formal information-seeking during working hours should be provided and encouraged. When care aides initiate information-seeking to improve care this should be recognized and respected by others on the team. Programs to enhance care aide communication skills to include the importance of information-seeking are warranted. Time for formal information-seeking during working hours should be provided and encouraged. When care aides initiate information-seeking to improve care this should be recognized and respected by others on the team.