Healthcare Professionals’ Documentation in Supported Accommodation for People with Profound Intellectual Disabilities: An Educational Intervention Study

Abstract

Good-quality relationships in which individuals with profound intellectual disabilities (intelligence quotient, IQ < 20–25) are recognized by healthcare professionals (HPs) are essential for the quality of healthcare and promoting autonomy. This study examines the impact of an educational intervention on documentation of the interplay between HP and individuals receiving services in supported accommodation in Norway. An educational intervention study was designed to encourage HPs to document their approaches and interplay. The Scale for the Evaluation of Staff-Patient Interactions in Progress Notes (SESPI) was applied to measure documentation before and after the intervention. Journal notes written over a three-month period before the intervention and a three-month period after the intervention were measured. Prior to the intervention, only 23.1% of the journal notes described the resident’s experiences, increasing by 5.4% (p = 0.041) post-intervention. Practical solutions to individual experiences increased from 0.9% to 8.5% (p < 0.001). The educational intervention demonstrated a significant increase in the documentation of residents’ experiences and the interplay between HPs and residents. Future research should explore the generalizability of these findings. Incomplete documentation of HPs’ relational work conceals important aspects of the healthcare provided, potentially resulting in confining autonomy and participation for individuals with intellectual disabilities.