Improving clinician-carer communication for safer hospital care: a study of the 'TOP 5' strategy in patients with dementia

Abstract

Our findings indicate that the use of a simple, low-cost communication strategy for patient care is associated with improvements in clinician and carer experience with potential implications for patient safety. Minimally, TOP 5 represents 'good practice' with a low risk of harm for patients.

Hospital discharge processes involving older adults living with dementia: An integrated literature review

“…Only one qualitative article addressed data saturation in sample size (Bauer, Fitzgerald, Koch, King, ). Sample sizes varied considerably, from 16 case studies (Emmett et al., )–798 health professionals in a survey (Luxford et al., ). The samples were appropriately dependent on the research methodology and the number of research sites, with qualitative studies typically having smaller sample sizes.…”

“…Information on the older people was often obtained from secondary sources; hospital‐acquired data, family carers or health professionals (predominantly nurses, doctors and to a lesser extent allied health; physiotherapists, occupational therapists, social workers). Only one study involved an intervention (Luxford et al., ), and this was not specifically related to the discharge process.…”

“…Three studies highlighted that health professionals lack the skills and/or time to effectively engage with family carers of older people with dementia and therefore families’ knowledge of the person's health and social circumstances was not used (Emmett et al., ; Jurgens et al., ; Mortenson & Bishop, ). Consequently, family carers were often left with a sense of frustration and resentment that their knowledge was not solicited or acknowledged by hospital staff (Fitzgerald et al., ; Lindhardt et al., ; Luxford et al., ). Family carers in several studies reported feeling excluded from key discharge decisions to the extent they were unaware that discharge was imminent until (or in some cases after) it occurred (Bauer, Fitzgerald, Koch, King, ; Emmett et al., ; Jurgens et al., ; Poole et al., ).…”

Feasibility and Utility of Online Dementia Care Training for Hospital Staff: The CARES ® Dementia-Friendly Hospital ™ Program

“…Even if dementia is recognized by NAs/AHWs (which is not always the case), the care provided often does not meet standards of person-centered, best practice approaches that can alleviate the consequences of the behavioral, psychiatric, and emotional symptoms related to cognitive impairment in acute care settings (Clissett et al, 2013; Gaugler & Wocken, 2014). Such gaps in care suggest the need for increased and enhanced training for NAs/AHWs to improve skills, knowledge, and confidence, with the aim of enhancing quality of care overall for individuals with dementia (Bray et al, 2015; Elvish et al, 2016; Gillies et al, 2015; Luxford et al, 2015; Palmer et al, 2014; Smythe et al, 2014; Surr et al, 2016; Teodorczuk et al, 2014). The current study contributes to this area by presenting a more portable, potentially cost-efficient approach to training NAs/AHWs in hospitals via the CDFH.…”

“…To help improve hospital-based dementia care, several educational programs and approaches (often provided over the course of several days) have attempted to enhance NAs’/AHWs’ training (Bray et al, 2015; Elvish et al, 2016; Galvin et al, 2010; Gillies, Coker, Montemuro, & Pizzacalla, 2015; Luxford et al, 2015; Palmer et al, 2014; Surr, Smith, Crossland, & Robins, 2016; Teodorczuk, Mukaetova-Ladinska, Corbett, & Welfare, 2014). However, dissemination of evidence-based training has been limited due to the necessity of costly in-person delivery.…”