Conceptualizations of function‐focused care used by practitioners in Korean nursing homes

Capturing key function-focused care problems, nursing diagnoses, and interventions for nursing home patients using a web-based case management system

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to identify the key functional care problems, NANDA-I nursing diagnoses, and intervention plans related to function-focused care (FFC) using a web-based case management system for patients who present different cognitive status.

METHODS

This study employed a retrospective descriptive research design. Data were obtained from system records on patients after the research team trained the case management system at a nursing home in Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. A total of 119 inpatient records were analyzed.

RESULTS

The key physical, cognitive, and social functional problems, nursing diagnoses in six domains (health promotion, elimination and exchange, activity/rest, perception/cognition, coping/stress tolerance, and safety/protection), and intervention plans were identified.

CONCLUSION

The identified FFC case management information of interdisciplinary caregivers will provide evidence for the implementation of effective interventions according to a patient's functional status. Additional studies related to the establishment of a large clinical database of advanced case management systems focusing on interdisciplinary caregivers' functional management are needed to support the prioritization of functional care.

Nurses' conceptualizations of managing emergencies in nursing homes

Emergencies can negatively affect the morbidity and mortality of nursing home residents. As nurses employed at nursing homes play a key role in such situations, their conceptualizations of emergency management should be considered to improve care. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify nurses' conceptualizations of managing emergencies in nursing homes. A qualitative research design was conducted using interviews with 20 nurses working in five different nursing homes in the Republic of Korea between September 2019 and August 2020. The data were analyzed using phenomenography. This study identified two main perspectives used by nurses in nursing homes to manage emergencies, depending on the resident's condition: emergency care and daily preventive care. Nurses' conceptualizations of care provided in emergencies were organized under the frames of assessment and intervention, whereas routine care carried out during daily life activities fell under the frame of prevention. This study's findings, which elucidate nurses' complex practical and experiential knowledge, provide insights for the development of emergency management training.

Healthcare Professionals' Perceptions of Function-Focused Care Education for Nursing Home Practitioners

A nursing home (NH) care environment necessitates a shared cognition-based education model that maintains effective function-focused care (FFC). This study’s aim was to explore healthcare professionals’ perceptions of function-focused care education for the development of an education model using a shared mental model (SMM) in NHs. Semi-structured interviews with 30 interdisciplinary practitioners from four different professions (nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and social workers) and focus group interviews with 12 experts were conducted. Data were analyzed using content analysis, and the education model development was guided by the shared mental models for data interpretation and formation. Our FFC interdisciplinary educational model incorporates four key learning components: learning contents, educational activities, educational goals/outcome, and environment, and four types of SMMs: team, task, team interaction, and equipment. As for educational contents, a team’s competencies with FFC were found to be team knowledge (physical and psychosocial functional care), team skills to perform FFC successfully (motivation, coaching and supporting, managing discomfort), and team attitude (possessing philosophy perceptions regarding FFC). As for learning outcomes, the shared cognition-based education model suggests not only the evaluation of practitioners, but also the assessment of residents’ aspects.