Professional caregivers' participation in the International Caregiver Development Programme: A qualitative study of psychosocial care in nursing homes.
Line Constance Holmsen, Bodil Tveit, Ane-Marthe Solheim Skar and 1 others
PMID 37186514WHAT IT FOUND
Caregivers reported noticing residents' non-verbal cues and adjusting their approach to reduce agitation.
Some described avoiding sedatives by engaging residents in conversation or activities. Time pressure and stress remained major barriers to maintaining this person-centred focus.
Key findings
01Caregivers reported that adjusting psychosocial care to individual needs resulted in less need for medication.
02Participants became more aware of verbal and non-verbal communication, using these cues to calm residents.
03Time constraints and work-related stress were identified as barriers to being present for residents and implementing the programme.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The study relies on self-reported experiences from caregivers who had just completed the training, which may overestimate the immediate impact. The first author was also a trainer for the programme, which could influence the participants' responses. Language barriers among the diverse participant group may have led to some loss of nuance in the interviews. The study did not measure actual medication use or resident outcomes objectively.
Declared interests
The study was funded by VID Specialized University. The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this training reduces medication use based on objective data. The finding is based on caregivers' subjective reports of their intentions and actions, not on verified prescriptions or resident outcomes.