Development of Gerontological Learning Objectives to Enhance Nursing Educational Curricula.

BACKGROUND: Many nursing schools are challenged to provide adequate gerontological education to students despite the enormous benefits to students' careers and society. This project developed student learning objectives to be used by nursing faculty to facilitate enriched gerontology courses and program curricula. METHOD: The project team drafted a comprehensive list of nursing student learning objectives based on the 2020 Canadian Gerontological Nursing Association Standards of Practice and Competencies and included relevant supportive references. Subsequently, 20 gerontological nurse experts reviewed the learning objectives through a modified Delphi process via online Qualtrics surveys (two rounds). RESULTS: A total of 176 learning objectives were rated in round one for importance, measurability, feasibility, and interpretability; these were amalgamated to 47 learning objectives for review in round two. CONCLUSION: Thirty-three learning objectives were identified and validated that can be used by nursing schools to offer increased opportunities for gerontological learning. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(4):256-260.].

BABEL (Better tArgeting, Better outcomes for frail ELderly patients) advance care planning: a comprehensive approach to advance care planning in nursing homes: a cluster randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Nursing home (NH) residents should have the opportunity to consider, discuss and document their healthcare wishes. However, such advance care planning (ACP) is frequently suboptimal. OBJECTIVE: Assess a comprehensive, person-centred ACP approach. DESIGN: Unblinded, cluster randomised trial. SETTING: Fourteen control and 15 intervention NHs in three Canadian provinces, 2018-2020. SUBJECTS: 713 residents (442 control, 271 intervention) aged ≥65 years, with elevated mortality risk. METHODS: The intervention was a structured, $\sim$60-min discussion between a resident, substitute decision-maker (SDM) and nursing home staff to: (i) confirm SDMs' identities and role; (ii) prepare SDMs for medical emergencies; (iii) explain residents' clinical condition and prognosis; (iv) ascertain residents' preferred philosophy to guide decision-making and (v) identify residents' preferred options for specific medical emergencies. Control NHs continued their usual ACP processes. Co-primary outcomes were: (a) comprehensiveness of advance care planning, assessed using the Audit of Advance Care Planning, and (b) Comfort Assessment in Dying. Ten secondary outcomes were assessed. P-values were adjusted for all 12 outcomes using the false discovery rate method. RESULTS: The intervention resulted in 5.21-fold higher odds of respondents rating ACP comprehensiveness as being better (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.53, 7.61). Comfort in dying did not differ (difference = -0.61; 95% CI -2.2, 1.0). Among the secondary outcomes, antimicrobial use was significantly lower in intervention homes (rate ratio = 0.79, 95% CI 0.66, 0.94). CONCLUSIONS: Superior comprehensiveness of the BABEL approach to ACP underscores the importance of allowing adequate time to address all important aspects of ACP and may reduce unwanted interventions towards the end of life.

Effective Chronic Disease Interventions in Nursing Homes: A Scoping Review Based on the Knowledge-to-Action Framework.

Objectives: The purpose of this scoping review was two-fold: 1) to identify effective intervention studies addressing chronic disease for seniors living in nursing homes (e.x. chronic heart failure, diabetes, dementia, etc.), and 2) to describe how consistently the studies' reported their stages of the Knowledge-to-Action framework (2006).Methods: This scoping review involved a systematic search of CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed and Scopus of intervention studies, published in English and French between 1997 and 2018, that focused on the development, implementation and/or evaluation of a chronic disease management guideline or best practice for older adults 65+ residing within a nursing home (NH). Authors abstracted information specific to the seven stages of the Knowledge-to-Action framework (identifying problem, tailoring to local context, barriers and facilitators to intervention delivery, implementation, monitoring, outcome criteria, and sustainability).Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Procedures for monitoring knowledge use and outcome evaluation were thoroughly described. Other stages of the Knowledge-to-Action framework were not consistently reported, including problem identification related to older adults' needs and within the context of NHs, intervention implementation, evaluation, and sustainability. Of the six studies included, only two met all the pre-defined evaluation outcomes.Conclusions: Given the need for chronic disease management in NHs, researchers are encouraged to report on intervention studies using the Knowledge-to-Action framework to optimize the likelihood that interventions will be suitable for the context of their delivery and introduce sustainable change.Clinical implications: To answer what interventions should be introduced to residents in long-term care, research must clearly demonstrate efficacy, provide enough detail for methods to be reproducible in applied contexts, and consider strategies for sustainability and the holistic needs of residents.

InterRAI Acute Care Instrument for Seniors in Canadian Hospitals: Findings of an Inter-Rater Reliability Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Older adults are the biggest users of emergency departments and hospitals. However, healthcare professionals are often ill equipped to conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments causing missed opportunities for preventing adverse outcomes. PURPOSE: To evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the interRAI Acute Care (AC) instrument for hospitalized older adults in two acute care hospitals in Ontario, Canada. METHODS: This descriptive study focused on evaluating the interRAI AC instrument, which was designed to facilitate a comprehensive nursing assessment for hospitalized seniors. Sample characteristics were described, and Cohen's Kappa was calculated to derive the inter-rater reliability. Assessment times to complete the instrument were collected as well. RESULTS: The Cohen's Kappa score for the instrument was 0.96. Many older adults who were interviewed had several challenges, including multimorbidity, polypharmacy, and lack of home support. The average time required for nurses to complete the interRAI AC instrument was 22 min. CONCLUSIONS: The interRAI AC instrument is reliable for use by trained nurses to conduct a comprehensive assessment. This instrument offers a standardized and efficient approach to assess for care and intervention priorities and could prevent adverse outcomes in hospitalized older adults.

La nécessité des approches interdisciplinaires et collaboratives pour évaluer l'impact de la COVID-19 sur les personnes âgées et le vieillissement: déclaration conjointe de l'ACG / CAG et de la RCV / CJA.

La pandémie de la COVID-19 et l'état d'urgence publique qui en a découlé ont eu des répercussions significatives sur les personnes âgées au Canada et à travers le monde. Il est impératif que le domaine de la gérontologie réponde efficacement à cette situation. Dans la présente déclaration, les membres du conseil d'administration de l'Association canadienne de gérontologie/Canadian Association on Gerontology (ACG/CAG) et ceux du comité de rédaction de La Revue canadienne du vieillissement/Canadian Journal on Aging (RCV/CJA) reconnaissent la contribution des membres de l'ACG/CAG et des lecteurs de la RCV/CJA. Les auteurs exposent les voies complexes par lesquelles la COVID-19 affecte les personnes âgées, allant du niveau individuel au niveau populationnel. Ils préconisent une approche impliquant des équipes collaboratives pluridisciplinaires, regroupant divers champs de compétences, et différentes perspectives et méthodes d'évaluation de l'impact de la COVID-19.

Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Approaches Needed to Determine Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults and Aging: CAG/ACG and CJA/RCV Joint Statement.

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent state of public emergency have significantly affected older adults in Canada and worldwide. It is imperative that the gerontological response be efficient and effective. In this statement, the board members of the Canadian Association on Gerontology/L'Association canadienne de gérontologie (CAG/ACG) and the Canadian Journal on Aging/La revue canadienne du vieillissement (CJA/RCV) acknowledge the contributions of CAG/ACG members and CJA/RCV readers. We also profile the complex ways that COVID-19 is affecting older adults, from individual to population levels, and advocate for the adoption of multidisciplinary collaborative teams to bring together different perspectives, areas of expertise, and methods of evaluation in the COVID-19 response.

Chronic disease management models in nursing homes: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVES: Nursing home (NH) residents experience a high burden of chronic disease. Chronic disease management (CDM) can be a challenge, as the context of care provision and the way care is provided impact care delivery. This scoping review aimed to identify types of chronic diseases studied in intervention studies in NHs, influential contextual factors addressed by interventions and future CDM research considerations. DESIGN: The scoping review followed guidelines by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and Levac, Colquhoun and O'Brien (2010). Six reviewers screened citations for inclusion. Data extraction was performed by one reviewer and verified by a second reviewer. DATA SOURCES: We searched four databases: CINAHL, EMBASE, PubMed and Scopus, in March 2018. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Studies were included if (1) aim of intervention was to improve CDM, (2) intervention incorporated the chronic care model (CCM), (3) included NH residents, (4) analysed the efficacy of the intervention and (5) sample included adults over age 65 years. Studies were limited to English or French language and to those published after 1996, when the CCM was first conceptualised. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Extracted information included the type of chronic disease, the type and number of CCM model components used in the intervention, the method of delivery of the intervention, and outcomes. RESULTS: On completion of the review of 11 917 citations, 13 studies were included. Most interventions targeted residents living with dementia. There was significant heterogeneity noted among designs, outcomes, and type and complexity of intervention components. There was little evaluation of the sustainability of interventions, including feasibility. CONCLUSIONS: Research was heavily focused on management of dementia. The most commonly included CCM components were multidisciplinary care, evidence-based care, coordinated care and clinical information systems. Future research should include subjective and objective outcomes, which are meaningful for NH residents, for common chronic diseases.

Impact of the applied simulated and integrated learning approach on nursing assistants' knowledge and confidence caring for frail seniors in nursing homes.

BACKGROUND: Increasing importance is being placed on optimizing the role of Nursing Aides (NAs) in improving quality of care for nursing home (NH) residents. One approach to do so is to have NAs participate in assessments embedded within the Minimum Data Set (MDS). This pilot study aimed to design and evaluate the Applied Simulated and Integrated Learning Approach (ASILA) program, a novel innovative training program for NAs employed in NHs to enhance their ability to assess residents within an inter-professional framework. METHODS: A mixed quantitative and qualitative repeated measures design was used to assess changes in NAs' knowledge and perception of assessments and resident clinical outcomes. Additionally, focus groups were conducted with NAs upon completion of the ASILA program. A total of 23 NAs and nurses in NHs in two Canadian provinces participated. The ASILA pilot program consisted of three selected modules; each module including an evidence-informed case-scenario, assessments, the use of appropriate MDS tools and documentation, care planing and reporting systems. ASILA was delivered over the course of two days per home. The primary outcome measure focused on the impact of ASILA on NA knowledge and confidence in assessing residents and understanding the relevance and use of elements if the MDS tools. Secondary outcomes included NAs' satisfaction with ASILA and the impact of ASILA on resident clinical outcomes. Data were collected one week prior, immediately after, and three months after the ASILA program. RESULTS: Following ASILA, NAs reported increased knowledge test scores and confidence in assessing residents by using MDS tools, although this did not reach significance after multiple testing (p = 0.0256 and p = 0.1541 respectively). NAs reported more confidence in providing care to residents (77.8%) and felt that the care provided was more resident-centered (83.3%) than before the ASILA program. There were no significant trends in improved resident outcomes following ASILA. CONCLUSION: Pilot findings indicate that the ASILA program could be a successful approach to support NAs to enhance their ability to assess residents in an inter-professional framework.