Enhancing Dementia Care Research Summary
“Staff Perspectives on Dementia Care in Nursing Homes: A Pre-Implementation, Content Analysis Study Guided by the Practical, Robust Implementation and Sustainability Model”
This is a summary of the research article. Click here to view the original study.
Douglas, N.F., Snell, A., & Carpenter, J.G. (2024). Staff perspectives on dementia care in nursing homes: A pre-implementation, content analysis study guided by the practical, robust implementation and sustainability model. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 50(2), 5–9. https://doi.org/10.3928/00989134-20231215-01
This article discusses the findings from a pre-implementation study that aimed to assess the implementation context of a person-centered communication coaching intervention for individuals with dementia in nursing homes. The intervention, called Dementia Collaborative Coaching (DCC), is designed to improve communication and quality of life for individuals with dementia.
The study involved focus groups with employees from three nursing homes, including speech-language pathologists, certified nursing assistants, and other staff members. The focus groups revealed five main themes:
- Dementia Care Needs Improvement: Participants expressed a desire for more stimulating and person-centered engagement for individuals with dementia, and a need for tools to support person-centered care in a fast-paced nursing home setting.
- Dementia Collaborative Coaching Appears Promising: Employees reacted positively to the key components of DCC, such as maximizing sensory input, using external memory aids, modifying communication, and incorporating person-centered activities.
- Awareness of Necessary Implementation and Sustainability Plans: Participants highlighted the importance of having a structured implementation plan and engaging key individuals, such as charge nurses, to ensure successful implementation.
- Regulations Need Accurate Interpretation and Local Dissemination: Concerns were raised about how federal regulations, such as COVID-19 protocols, might impact the implementation of DCC, and the potential violation of HIPAA or state survey regulations with person-centered communication tools.
- Appropriate Staffing Concerns: There were concerns about staffing, particularly the use of temporary or agency staff who may not have the necessary knowledge or consistency in providing person-centered care.
The study concludes that key factors related to the implementation of DCC include the perceived need for change, concerns about staffing, and the importance of explicit implementation and sustainability plans. The findings suggest that addressing these barriers upfront may support the uptake of person-centered interventions in nursing homes.
The study has implications for nursing practice, emphasizing the importance of interprofessional collaboration, communication, and ongoing education and training to support the implementation of person-centered care approaches in nursing homes.