Interpreting Context in Rural and Remote Aged Care Facilities in Readiness for a New Care Model: A Mixed Method Study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rural Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Geographical isolation in rural areas limits healthcare access and skilled workforce for aged care.
• Rural aged care residents have complex chronic disease and end-of-life care needs.
• Australia faces a shortage of general medical practitioners, impacting rural recruitment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the inner and outer healthcare contexts of rural aged care facilities.
• To inform the implementation of a nurse practitioner model in rural and remote aged care settings in Queensland, Australia.

Main Methods:

• Convergent mixed methods design utilizing qualitative interviews and quantitative data from the Alberta Context Tool.
• Qualitative data collected from staff regarding roles, culture, and relationships.
• Family perspectives analyzed from organizational feedback data.

Main Results:

• Relational care is valued, but staff face challenges meeting resident needs due to time constraints and scarce local healthcare services.
• Supportive organizational culture exists, but policy changes impact staff recruitment in rural settings.
• Context-specific needs extend beyond the nurse practitioner's expertise.

Conclusions:

• Understanding organizational contextual needs is crucial for successful change in rural aged care.
• Geographical and sectoral nuances significantly influence the implementation of new models of care.
• Rural and remote facilities must adapt to evolving government policies for the older adult care sector.