Background-Baron and Kenny (1986) defined mediation and described how to perform statistical tests of mediation hypotheses. Their approach to testing mediation has been used extensively in the nursing literature. However, many statisticians have identified problems with the Baron and Kenny approach.
Background Directors of nursing (DON) are central to quality of care in nursing homes (NH) because of their role in coordinating and overseeing nursing care. Research is needed to test the association between DON characteristics and quality using large, representative samples of NHs and global measures of quality. One such measure is the quality measure (QM) rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Five-Star Quality Rating, which aggregates 10 individual QMs into a single rating. Purpose This study examined whether DON current job tenure or past experience (1) differed across levels of the QM rating, (2) was associated with QM ratings, and (3) was associated with any of the individual 10 QM scores that comprise QM ratings. Methodology Data for a nationally representative sample of 1,174 NHs were obtained from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey, publicly-reported QMs, and an Area Resource File. Wald tests were used to test differences in mean DON current job tenure and past experience across levels of the QM rating. Multinomial logistic and Poisson regression analyses were used to examine the association between DON current job tenure and past experience and QM ratings and QM scores, respectively, controlling for selected market and organizational characteristics. Findings NHs with longer DON current job tenure tended to have higher QM ratings. Longer DON current job tenure was associated with higher QM ratings and lower QM scores for several individual QMs, suggesting higher quality. DON past experience did not differ across levels of the QM rating and was neither associated with QM ratings or QM scores. Practice Implications This study highlights the need for owners and administrators to support DONs as they either transition into the role of the DON for the first time or learn to effectively fulfill their role in a new NH.
For nurse researchers, responding appropriately to resident abuse is straightforward: The abuse must be reported. However, responding to care that is of poor quality-where care practices are problematic but do not meet the definition of reportable abuse-is not so straightforward. Decision making may be influenced by ethical and professional principles, as well as self-interest to complete a research project. The purpose of this article is to provoke a dialogue about a dilemma faced by many researchers conducting research in long-term care: responding to poor-quality care that does not meet the state's definition of resident abuse. We will accomplish this by providing a real-life situation faced by a novice researcher conducting her first funded research project, identifying some of the important considerations and possible responses by nurse researchers. Optimally, nurse researchers will develop a plan for responding to poor care before beginning the study.
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