Who Bears Responsibility for the Post-Acute Older Adult: Patient, Family or State?

AIM: This study explores the perceptions of hospital discharge coordinators on the issues raised for the post-acute older adult and their family, using the lens of assisted decision-making and advance directives. BACKGROUND: New legislation has been developed in Ireland to support assisted decision-making and advance directives that is largely consistent with other countries around the world. The Assisted Decision-Making Act of 2015 was fully commeced in April 2023, following lengthy debate. However, there is a lot of professional uncertainty regarding how to support and integrate Advance Healthcare Directives and assisted decision-making into the care of adults and into the role of nurses working in the community. METHODS: Utilising a qualitative approach, this study conducted a series of five focus groups, with 23 participants, across the South-East of Ireland. Thematic analysis was used to interpret results. The 32-item consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist was utilised. FINDINGS: The central finding in this study concerned the locus of control, as well as findings on burden of care and the role of the nurse. A stark incongruence of beliefs among patient, family and State was identified. CONCLUSION: Nurses must learn to circumnavigate the complex terrain involved in supporting the older adult's advance decision-making and advance healthcare directives.

Understanding the menopausal experiences of women with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review.

During the process of ageing, women experience important hormonal, endocrine and biological changes. Menopause is a natural phenomenon in female development, during which women's ovarian function shifts from a reproductive to a non-reproductive state. The experience of menopause is unique for every woman, including women with intellectual disabilities. Globally, the available literature on women with intellectual disabilities and menopause focuses on providing medical insights into onset and symptoms and little attention has been paid to documenting how menopause affects women themselves. This represents a significant gap in understanding how women understand this change in life and has been a key justification for the need for this research. This scoping review aims to consider published studies capturing the perceptions, experiences and attitudes of women with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers as they transition through the menopause.

Implementing advance directives-An international literature review of important considerations for nurses.

AIM(S): To review the global literature on the implementation of advance health care directives to date, and the experiences of the health care professionals who must initiate the discussions around advance care planning, as well as support patients' ultimate decisions. BACKGROUND: Ireland's Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 legalizes advance health care directives. It promotes the autonomy of the person and enables them to have treatment in accordance with their will and preferences. However, there is professional uncertainty on how to support and integrate assisted decision-making. EVALUATION: 16 studies featuring the views of health care professionals are included and evaluated using a framework of 'benefits versus challenges'. KEY ISSUE(S): Four themes clearly emerge during the review process: the concept of capacity and who decides; autonomy versus paternalism-conflict among the health care professional/patient/family caregiver triad; barriers to advance directives; and timing issues. CONCLUSION(S): Significant benefits of advance health care directives exist for all parties including less stress for patients and families alike, less burden and less residual guilt for surviving relatives, and an over-arching prevention of 'crisis' decision-making. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This review highlights the central role of the nurse in empowering patients to express their wills and preferences, supporting patients' capacity to make decisions about their own care, initiating end-of-life care discussions and advocating to have advance health care directives acknowledged. Moreover, it identifies the challenges ahead for all nurse managers in implementing this new mandate.

Cancer screening in women with intellectual disabilities: an Irish perspective.

In the Republic of Ireland, more than 8000 women with intellectual disabilities (IDs), aged 20 years and over, are registered for service provision. Their health needs challenge preventative health services including breast and cervical cancer screening programmes. This review explores the literature about cancer screening participation rates and issues related to screening for Irish women with IDs. Low cancer screening participation rates are evident in Irish women with IDs; and the women shed light on the barriers they perceive related to the screening experience. These experiences are reflected in the international literature for women with IDs. Further research involving the assessment of the breast and cervical cancer awareness in Irish women with IDs and their participation in cancer screening programmes is recommended. Strategies are required to increase their participation in screening programmes that may lead to the earlier diagnosis with better outcomes.