A study on care-giving competence of the primary caregivers influence on nurse-social worker-college student volunteer team guide for the long-term bedridden elderly

Abstract

Objective To explore the effect of nurse-social worker-college student volunteer team guide on care-giving competence of the primary caregivers for the long-term bedridden elderly. Methods The research was conveniently focused on a total of 60 long-term bedridden elderly and 30 primary caregivers, pension caregiver in welfare home from March to May 2015. The nurse-social worker-college student volunteer team guide for the primary caregivers included distributing health manual, training skill, psychological support, respite care and so on. The intervention lasted for 3 months, twice a month, 150 minutes each time. This was a self comparison study. The care competence for the primary caregivers and self-care ability of daily activities for the long-term bedridden elderly were conducted before and after intervention. Results Before intervention, the total score of care-giving competence was 59.07±13.42. After intervention, the total score was 66.64±14.16. Before intervention, the scores of caring knowledge, operation technique, behavior and attitudes, decision-making and self-efficacy were as follows:18.48±3.46, 17.95±3.98, 12.16±3.08, 7.98±2.56. Whereas, after intervention, the scores were as follows: 20.32±3.58, 20.48±2.74, 14.29±3.03, 9.65±2.07. Each dimension score after intervention was significantly higher than that before intervention (t=-2.87--2.02, P<0.01). For bathing, dressing, indoor transferring and eating in self-care ability of daily activities, the numbers of people in 60 long-term bedridden elderly were 8, 13, 21, 18 before intervention and 17, 24, 43, 29 after intervention. The self-care ability of daily activities of the primary caregivers such as bathing, dressing, indoor transferring and eating after intervention were significantly higher than that before intervention (χ2=4.093-4.857, P<0.05). Conclusions Nurse-social worker-college student volunteer team guide can enhance the care-giving competence of the primary caregivers as well as improve the self-care ability of daily activities for the long-term bedridden elderly. Key words: Long-term bedridden elderly; Primary caregiver; Care-giving competence; Self-care ability of daily activities; Team guide