Do Volunteers Make a Difference on Nursing Home Quality Measures?

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between nursing home volunteer programming and quality measures and increase the knowledge base of nursing home volunteer programming in various settings. Fifty-two nursing homes were surveyed using electronic surveys and personal interviews. Questions focused on the organization of the nursing home, characteristics of the volunteer program and volunteer activities. Of the 52 facilities surveyed, 19 were not part of a chain, 37 were in urban settings, and 24 were for-profit entities. Volunteers were used in 46 nursing homes with a mean number of volunteers of 51.7 onsite an average of 4.9 days per week. Bivariate analysis revealed statistically significant correlations (p<.05) between organizational and volunteer programming characteristics and six quality measures (pressure sores, urinary tract infections, depression, use of restraints, falls, use of antipsychotic and hypnotic drugs). Statistically significant (p<.05) inverse relationships were found between volunteers providing individualized activities (e.g., feeding assistance, combing hair, doing nails, and letter writing) and the incidence of urinary tract infections and the use of psychotropic drugs. Multiple regression analysis revealed a statistically significant (p<.05) inverse relationship between personal volunteer services such as combing hair and doing nails and the use of hypnotic drugs and antipsychotic drugs. This study indicates a significant correlation between volunteer programming and quality measure scores. A larger study of these relationships is indicated.

An analysis of the items of nursing competency in oral feeding assistance for hospitalized hemiplegic patients in China: a qualitative study

Background: Patients with hemiplegia often suffer from malnutrition and security threat due to disabilities and inadequate supports. This study aims to explore nursing perceptions regarding problems, necessary nursing supports, and nursing competencies required for the provision of oral feeding assistance to hospitalized hemiplegic patients.Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in Taian City, China in 2016. A purposive sampling method was used, and data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. Totally, 5 faculty members and 10 ward nurses in China were interviewed. In relation to the nursing status regarding oral feeding assistance in the case of hemiplegic patients, background and improvement measures in nursing practice were assessed. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method.Results: Four problems in providing oral feeding assistance to hemiplegic patients were identified: 1) insufficient cognition of nursing roles, 2) insufficient consideration of psychological aspects of the patients, 3) lack of related theoretical and practical education, 4) lack of nutritional support during hospitalization. Twenty-five items of nursing competencies, the knowledge and skills required for oral feeding assistance to hospitalized hemiplegic patients were identified.Conclusions: The nursing competency identified by this study can provide evidence for reviewing the related nursing practice and continuous education in China.

Comparison Between Quality of Care Provided by Trained Feeding Assistants and Certified Nursing Assistants During Between-Meal Supplementation in Long-Term Care Settings

The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of feeding assistance provided by trained non-nursing staff with care provided by certified nursing assistants (CNAs). Research staff provided an 8-hr training course that met federal and state requirements to non-nursing staff in five community long-term care facilities. Trained staff were assigned to between-meal supplement and/or snack delivery for 24 weeks. Using standardized observations, research staff measured feeding assistance care processes between meals across all study weeks. Trained staff, nurse aides, and upper level staff were interviewed at 24 weeks to assess staff perceptions of program impact. Trained staff performed significantly better than CNAs for 12 of 13 care process measures. Residents also consumed significantly more calories per snack offer from trained staff ( M = 130 ± 126 [ SD] kcal) compared with CNAs ( M = 77 ± 94 [ SD] kcal). The majority of staff reported a positive impact of the training program.

Criteria of implementing feeding assistance robots in disability care

This article discusses the entanglement of implementing welfare technology in disability care, and draws on ethnographic observations from a pilot project involving 30 disabled citizens from three different boroughs in Denmark. The disabled citizens suffered from diseases such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral paralysis. The article follows four care assistants and four citizens through a period of 10 months, focusing particularly on the experiences and struggle of two citizens. Against this background, the article takes up a number of conflicting values and criteria practiced by diverse interested groups: 1. employee retrenchment, 2. citizen independence and 3. workforce flexibility. The main argument is that the housing institution studied has turned into a battlefield, where professional values of authentic care meet a strong governmental discourse of modernization of the public sector. The study demonstrates that the implementation of welfare technology in disability care is highly fragile, which is predominantly due to the delicate body-technology assembly, and takes place in agony.