Nurse Practitioners Navigating the Consequences of Directives, Policies, and Recommendations Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic in Long-Term Care Homes

Abstract

Objectives New models for the workforce are required in long-term care (LTC) homes, as was made evident during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Nurse Practitioner (NP)-led models of care represent an effective solution. This study explored NPs’ roles in supporting LTC homes as changes in directives, policies, and recommendations related to COVID-19 were introduced. Design Qualitative exploratory study. Context Thirteen NPs working in LTC homes in Ontario, Canada. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted in March/April 2021. A five-step inductive thematic analysis was applied. Findings Analysis generated four themes: leading the COVID-19 vaccine rollout; promoting staff wellbeing related to COVID-19 fatigue; addressing complexities of new admissions; and negotiating evolving collaborative relationships. Conclusions Nurse practitioners were instrumental in supporting LTC homes through COVID-19 regulatory changes producing unintended consequences. The NPs’ leadership in transforming care is equally essential in LTC homes as in other established healthcare settings, such as primary and acute care.

Factors Associated With the Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…35,36 However, compared with other countries, Canada has substantially fewer geriatricians per capita, and COVID-19 increased barriers to accessing these professionals. 35 Nursing practitioners have played a critical and effective role in addressing complex resident care needs in NHs during the pandemic 37 da strategy that health systems should consider sustaining and further extending, given the lack of geriatric medical professionals. In our study, reduced access to specialist input of 107 residents in 1 NH was associated with lower resident QoL, highlighting the critical role of these professionals in the care of NH residents.…”

Between a Rock and a Hard Place: COVID-19 Lessons Learned From Providers Rounding at Skilled Nursing Facilities in the Rural Midwest

“…Naturally, healthcare workers like to know the answers. It has always been our job to find answers to a patient’s symptoms, diagnose, and treat [ 13 ]. The pandemic, however, was full of an overwhelming number of unknowns leading to anticipatory anxiety that negatively impacted the mental health of HCWs and increased stress levels [ 10 ].…”

“…Measures to help mitigate the spread of the virus were rapidly deployed, including social distancing, requiring face masks, and quarantining the infected [3,4]. From the first wave of the pandemic through today, healthcare providers, SNF patients, and their families have had to develop solutions to address both unforeseen and planned challenges of the pandemic [10][11][12][13][14][15]. Almost immediately, frontline workers in hospitals, intensive care units, and emergency departments were hailed as heroes and their resilience recognized [9,16,17].…”

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