Experiences Of Support Staff Research Articles

Increasing physical activity through an adapted web-based exercise program for people with intellectual disabilities: Support staff are crucial for feasibility.

People with intellectual disabilities are less physically active and suffer from ill-health more than the general population. Support staff play an important role in the person's life. This study aimed to explore the support staff's experiences regarding the feasibility of adapted web-based exercise for people with intellectual disabilities. Participants with intellectual disabilities living in community-based settings were recruited for a web-based exercise study. Eight semi-structured interviews were carried out with their support staff before and after the intervention period. The main theme, 'Support staff are crucial for feasibility' encompasses the importance of communication, structure, and motivation in improving physical activity for people with intellectual disabilities. The experiences of support staff, indicate that a web-based exercise program is feasible for the target group, and one way to overcome challenges for PA, where the role of the staff is crucial.

‘We became their beginning, their middle and their end’

AbstractBackgroundCommunicating with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities is essential for person‐centred, rights‐based support. Despite a proliferation of research around COVID‐19, there is a dearth of evidence exploring its impact on communication with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities. This study aimed to explore disability support staff experiences of communicating with people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities through the COVID‐19 pandemic.MethodsA qualitative descriptive study was undertaken. A purposive sample of six disability support staff who supported people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities through the pandemic in four Irish residential services participated in online, semistructured interviews. Data were analysed thematically.FindingsSix themes were generated including unwavering commitment; running on empty; being a safe haven; empathic understanding; heightened sensitivity and new insights. Participants discussed the impact of COVID‐19 on communicating with people they support, the contextual challenges, how these were managed/overcome and new learning that emerged. Although communication challenges did present because of COVID‐19 restrictions, communication remained a priority.ConclusionsDespite the challenges experienced by disability support workers, their unwavering commitment to ensuring the well‐being of people with severe/profound intellectual disabilities was identified. This was a small‐scale qualitative study but highlights areas warranting further research and makes recommendations for practice and service planning.

The experiences of support staff in a traumatic brain injury rehabilitation center.

Employee turnover is a major issue for health care organizations. Burnout is a leading contributor to such turnover. Extensive research on burnout has been conducted in health care settings; however, it has primarily been focused on health care professionals ignoring other critical staff. In particular, traumatic brain injury rehabilitation is an area of health care that includes unique challenges and stressors that may contribute to burnout. Brain injury professionals report experiencing high levels of burnout that further increase as they spend more time with patients; however, little is known about the experiences of brain injury paraprofessionals. This study explores the unique experiences of support staff in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation centers. The present study used a grounded theory method to explore the phenomena of burnout, turnover, and job satisfaction from the perspective of paraprofessional support staff in 1 posthospital brain injury rehabilitation center. Support staff participated in the research via small group interviews (N = 4) and survey (N = 11). The analysis resulted in a grounded theory model, entitled "The Balance model of Rehabilitation Support Work." This model is a framework of risk and protective factors that appeared to influence whether these frontline rehabilitation staff experienced negative outcomes from this often challenging/stressful work environment. The model includes 4 axial-level themes: doing the work, protective factors, risk factors, and imbalance of factors. Within the 4 axial categories are twenty open-coding level categories. Implications for traumatic brain injury rehabilitation organizations and areas for future research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for The Experiences of Support Staff in a Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center

Supplemental Material for The Experiences of Support Staff in a Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Center

Workplace bullying in a South African higher education institution: Academic and support staff experiences

Orientation: Workplace bullying is a common occurrence in organisations worldwide, and higher education institutions are no exception.Research purpose: This study was conducted with the aim of determining the perceptions of workplace bullying amongst academic and support staff at a higher education institution in South Africa and to ascertain how they are affected by selected sociodemographic variables.Motivation for the study: Currently, there are limited published research studies reporting on the prevalence and/or experience of workplace bullying at tertiary education institutions in South Africa.Research approach/design and method: The study used a quantitative-based survey design. The research setting was limited to one higher education institution in South Africa. The target population of the study comprised all academic and support staff of the institution. A web-based standardised questionnaire was used to collect the data.Main findings: The results revealed that the respondents experienced negative behaviours related to exclusion the most, followed by managerial misconduct, humiliation and belittlement and hostility the least.Practical/Managerial implications: Understanding and addressing workplace bullying is critical to counteract this problem in organisations. The longer the phenomenon is left unattended, the worse it will become and the more difficult it will be to combat. Employers can play a pre-emptive role in the prevention of and intervention in workplace bullying.Contribution/value-add: The study sheds light on the experiences of bullying at a South African university and adds to the body of literature on bullying in the tertiary education sector in the national context.

Social recovery and economy: a thematic analysis of staffs’ experiences with promoting social community participation for residents with co-occurring problems

PurposeThis study aims to explore and describe staff working in a Norwegian supportive housing site’s experiences with promoting social community participation for residents with co-occurring problems. The research question addressed was: how does residential support staff experience promoting social community participation for residents with co-occurring problems?Design/methodology/approachNine residential support staff participated in qualitative interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts were analysed using Braun and Clarke's approach to thematic analysis.FindingsThe analysis process resulted in two themes: “It is all about economics” and “Who will pay for it?”Practical implicationsRegarding the Nordic welfare system, the need for a redistribution of financial resources in health services is discussed. The authors recommend that further studies explore people outside the regular health-care system perspectives on how they can contribute to making community inclusion a reality for persons experiencing co-occurring problems.OriginalityThis study provides a nuanced understanding of how financial resources can impede or support efforts and opportunities to promote community inclusion for residents experiencing co-occurring problems.

Throwing in the deep end: athletes, coaches and support staff experiences, perceptions and beliefs of upper limb injuries and training load in elite women’s water polo

To understand elite athlete, coach and support staff experiences, perceptions and beliefs in women’s water polo with managing upper limb injuries and monitoring training loads. Inductive qualitative design. Twenty athletes,...

Victim and Victim Support Staff Experiences of a Domestic Violence Electronic Monitoring Program in Australia.

This study investigates the experiences of victims of domestic violence (DV) involved in a bilateral electronic monitoring (EM) program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six victims whose associated person of interest participated in an EM program post-release, as well as 13 victim support staff. Thematic analysis revealed seven themes: (1) Safety and validation, (2) Initial anxiety, (3) Minimal intrusion on daily life, (4) Psychological relief and feelings of safety, (5) Freedom to engage in daily activities, (6) Post-EM concerns for safety, and (7) An effective deterrent for some, but not for all. Overall, the experiences reported by victims and support staff were positive and evident of victim-centricity. The main defining experience of the DVEM program for victims was improved feelings of safety during the program and increased autonomy and confidence in going about their daily activities. However, there is an urgent need to consider post-EM safety of victims.

A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies that investigate the emotional experiences of staff working in homeless settings.

Homelessness is a pervasive issue in society, and government policies have highlighted the need to focus on the experience of front-line staff in homelessness settings. The aim of this meta-synthesis was to draw together the available research to further understanding of the experiences of staff working with homeless people. A systematic search was conducted across four electronic databases (ASSIA, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts and Web of Science) from the date of their inception. Qualitative research exploring the emotional experiences of staff working in homeless settings was identified. Identified studies were subject to quality assessment, and the data were synthesised using meta-ethnography. Ten studies were included in the synthesis following screening of 228 titles, 92 abstracts and 33 full texts. The concepts that were obtained from the analysis were building quality relationships, negotiating boundaries, carrying the emotional burden (self and others), accessing care and support (self-care and from others), individual advancement, advocating and contextual helplessness. An overarching theoretical construction of the internal experiences of support staff in managing the demands of the role along with their own needs was developed. This theory may provide the basis for testable hypotheses in future research and inform the development of support and training opportunities for staff working within homelessness settings.

“Come together”: a thematic analysis of experiences with belonging

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore, describe and interpret two research questions: How do persons with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems, living in supportive housing, experience belonging? How do residential support staff experience promoting a sense of belonging for persons with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems, living in a supportive housing?Design/methodology/approachIndividual semi-structured interviews were conducted with five persons with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems living in supportive housing in a Norwegian district. In addition, one semi-structured focus group was conducted with nine residential support staff. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis.FindingsAnalysis resulted in three main themes: “I do not go to sleep in my pajamas”, “Do I have a choice?” and “Be kind to each other”.Research limitations/implicationsMore research on how inclusive practices that are commonly described in guidelines actually affect the experience of residents and residential support staff is needed.Practical implicationsPractices that incorporate a communal and contextual understanding when assigning supportive housing are warranted.Originality/valueBy paying attention to the components of social recovery, this paper provides a nuanced understanding of how persons with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems, living in supportive housing, experience belonging. In addition, residential support staffs’ experiences with promoting a sense of belonging for this group are explored.

Learning from support workers: Can a dramatherapy group offer a community provision to support changes in care for people with learning disabilities and mental health difficulties?

Accessible summary Dramatherapy groups are being used to help people with learning disabilities move from hospital back to their homes. The staff who support people to attend the groups talked about their experiences. The staff felt the groups help people stay well, build friendships and get support quickly if needed. The staff felt that the groups were helpful for themselves too as they felt supported and learned new skills. AbstractBackgroundThe UK Government's Transforming Care Agenda for people with learning disabilities has struggled to meet its goals of reducing inpatient beds and building community‐based support. This article reports on the experiences of support staff who attended dramatherapy groups developed to assist transitions from an inpatient hospital and to prevent re‐admissions through post‐discharge support. The groups provide ongoing support and a place where relationships can be developed between supporter and those supported.Materials and MethodsA focus group with a purposive sample of paid support staff. The data was synthesised using a thematic framework approach.ResultsThemes include: (a) new way of supporting and (b) hospital connection. The groups helped improve social interaction, friendship building, communication and self‐confidence. Additional benefits include the pooling of support and a connection with professionals that enables difficulties to be caught early.ConclusionsSupport workers valued these dramatherapy groups, recognising how the intervention enabled people with learning disabilities to develop relationships and provide easy access to mental health professionals. Support staff also found benefits for themselves which included shared support and an increased understanding and insight into the people they support.

Suicide amongst people with intellectual disability: An Australian online study of disability support staff experiences and perceptions.

Individuals with intellectual disability (ID) have a higher likelihood of exposure to identified risk factors for suicide when compared with the general community and have been recognised as being both capable of forming intent for suicide and acting on this intent. However, in spite of research outlining these concerns from the 1970s, there remains a dearth of studies that examine suicide amongst the population of people with ID. An online cross-sectional survey was purposively developed, with questions aimed at identifying both the experiences and current practices of support staff who assist people with ID in relation to suicide, suicidal behaviour and suicide assessment. It was undertaken across both rural and metropolitan areas in Australia. The survey was open for a period of 12months. A total of 139 respondents (109 female/30 male), with a mean age of 41 and an average 12years of experience in supporting people with ID, completed the tool. A total of nine suicides by people with ID were reported. Seventy-seven per cent of the respondents reported that they had individuals with ID display suicidal behaviours, and 76% noted that a person had specifically talked about wishing to end their life. Only four participants (3%) noted that they did not support individuals with a dual diagnosis of ID and mental health concern. Sixty per cent of participants reported that no one in their organisation had ever completed a suicide risk assessment, and only 28% reported that they would do a suicide risk assessment if an individual that they supported was diagnosed with a mental health issue. The current findings indicate that support staff recognise the capacity of people with ID to conceptualise suicide, note the existence of suicidal discussions and behaviours and report on actual suicides. This represents one of the few Australian studies that has specifically considered suicide amongst this cohort of people and reinforces the fact that suicide is not unknown in this population. The data indicate a possible divide between the reports of people with ID actively talking about and acting on suicidal thoughts and the lack of any proactive use of any tools to assess for this risk.

The systems psychodynamic experiences of organisational transformation amongst support staff

Orientation: The unconscious impact of organisational transformation is often neglected and even denied. This research revealed the manifestation and impact of high levels and different forms of anxiety experienced by employees during transformation.Research objective: The objective was to study and describe the manifesting systems psychodynamic behaviour amongst support staff during organisational transformation.Motivation for the study: Organisational transformation is mostly researched from a leadership viewpoint. Little research data are available on the experiences of support staff on the receiving end of decisions about and implementation of transformation.Research design, approach and method: A qualitative approach within the phenomenological hermeneutic interpretive stance was used. The research was set in a government organisation. A semi-structured interview with four conveniently and purposefully chosen support staff members was thematically analysed using systems psychodynamics as theoretical paradigm.Main findings: Four themes manifested, namely de-authorisation and detachment, being bullied and seduced by leadership, the organisation in the mind as incompetent, and a dangerous and persecutory system. In the discussion, the basic assumptions and relevant constructs are interpreted.Practical implications: Understanding the transformation experiences of support staff could assist the industrial psychologist to facilitate appropriate support in coaching more junior staff towards increasing wellness and work performance.Contribution: Organisational transformation is highlighted as an anxiety provoking experience especially on the lower levels of the organisation. Its potentially deep and complex psychological impact could possibly derail parts of the system if not managed in a psychologically contained manner.

Factors Associated With Early Functional Outcome After Hip Fracture Surgery.

Background:Hip fractures are common in the elderly and are likely to become more prevalent as the US population ages. Early functional status is an indicator of longer term outcome, yet in-hospital predictors of functional recovery, particularly time of surgery and composition of support staff, after hip fracture surgery have not been well studied.Methods:Ninety-nine consecutive patients underwent hip fracture surgery by a single surgeon between 2009 and 2013. Surgery after 48 hours was deemed as surgical delay, and surgery after 5 pm was deemed as after hours. Surgical support staff experience was determined by experts from our institution as well as documented level of training. Functional status was determined by independent ambulation on postoperative day (POD) 3.Results:On POD3, 48 (79%) of 62 patients with no delay were able to ambulate, whereas only 14 (38%) of 37 patients with delayed surgery were able to ambulate (P < .001). This relationship persisted when adjusted for American Society of Anesthesiologist classification. No delay in patients older than 80 (odds ratio [OR], 6.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.16-22.10) and females (OR, 7.05; 95% CI, 2.34-21.20) was associated with greater chance of early ambulation. After-hours surgery was not associated with ambulation (P = .35). Anesthesiologist and circulating nurse experience had no impact on patient’s ambulatory status; however, nonorthopedic scrub technicians were associated with worse functional status (OR 7.50; 95% CI, 1.46-38.44, P = .01).Conclusion:Surgical delay and nonorthopedic scrub technicians are associated with worse early functional outcome after hip fracture surgery. Surgical delay should be avoided in older patients and women. More work should be done to understand the impact of surgical team composition on outcome.

The use of information and communication technologies to support working carers of older people - a qualitative secondary analysis.

Family care support services have mainly focused on older spousal carers of older people and have largely overlooked working carers, whom combine paid work with informal/family care responsibilities. Recently, however, information and communication technology (ICT) systems have been identified as a potentially flexible way of supporting working carers. The aim of this study was to describe nursing and support staff's experiences of using ICT for information, e-learning and support of working carers of older people. The study employed a descriptive, qualitative approach conducting a qualitative secondary analysis of two original data sets. In total, seventeen professional staff members from two municipal family carer support units in Sweden that had implemented ICTs were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide consisting of open-ended questions. Two data sets were merged using latent qualitative content analysis. Secondary analysis produced three subthemes and an overall theme, a virtual road as a carriageway for the support of working carers, consisting of both enabling and hindering aspects in family support. This theme provides access points in both directions and is based on caring instruments that enable nursing staff's support role. The staff's sustainability and ability to support is influenced by caring opportunities and barriers. The findings suggest the ICTs to be flexible structures that provided nursing staff with a means and method to support working carers of older people. To overcome barriers to its use, measures to optimise support for working carers and the older person are needed. The use of ICTs provides nurses with a means to offer support to working carers of older people and enables carers to be informed, to learn and to share their burdens with others when caring for an older family member.

Making sense of varying standards of care: the experiences of staff working in residential care environments for adults with learning disabilities

Accessible summary To find out why standards of care might vary in residential homes for adults with learning disabilities, this study describes the experiences of six care workers currently working in residential homes. Each care worker took part in an interview where they were asked to talk about their jobs in detail. Three things were found to be important aspects of care workers experiences: the quality of their relationships with others; their levels of motivation for their work; and their feelings about the environments they worked in. The study discusses how each of those things can lead to variations in care standards. SummaryResearch evidence reveals that adults with learning disabilities who live in residential care facilities are being exposed to considerable variation in the standards of care they receive. High profile cases of substandard care have also raised concerns regarding the appropriateness of existing care provisions and practices. While attempts have been made to understand variations in care standards, there remains a need for more research in this area. Additionally, little attention has been paid to understanding support staff experiences of working in residential services and to developing a more theoretical understanding of the role they fulfil. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), this study aimed to examine front‐line staff members' experiences of working in residential care for people with learning disabilities. Six experienced front‐line care workers (four female, two male) took part in semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed according to the principles of IPA, and three superordinate themes were identified as being central to participants' experiences of their work roles: Degree of Positive Relationship Reciprocity; Value Congruence and Intrinsic Motivation; and Experiences of Environmental and Organisational Constraints. Results are discussed in relation to the existing literature on care standards and the factors associated with abusive or neglectful practices, and in terms of their contribution to theory and applied practice.

Occupational Stress in Veterinary Support Staff

A mixed-method study was used to characterize the occupational stress, health status, and coping strategies of 104 members of the Alabama Veterinary Technician Association. A Web-based survey was used to administer three validated and reliable instruments to gather the quantitative data, and interviews were conducted to gather qualitative data. Quantitative and qualitative data validated each other in all aspects of mental health, indicating that veterinary support staff's mental health status was low. Participants' mental health scores were lower than the US norm of 50, and a correlation between health status and occupational stressors indicated that those with higher perceived stress had lower mental and physical health. Interviews supported this finding. The results suggest that workload, death and dying, and conflict with veterinarians were prominent sources of stress and that veterinary support staff experience high stress that affects their health. Coping strategies were found to be related to mental health status, and those used by this workforce have been linked to negative outcomes. This study's findings indicate that staff health may have negative economic implications for practice owners and staff members.

The use of mechanical restraint with people who engage in severe self-injurious behaviour: impact on support staff

Purpose – There continues to be a small group of people who have intellectual disabilities who need some form of restraint in their support plan due to their self-injurious behaviour. The mechanical restraint restricts their freedom of movement to help prevent injury. Despite the growing literature on the use of such devices, there is very limited literature looking at the impact the use of mechanical restraints has upon service users and support staff using them. The aim of this study was to ascertain the experiences of support staff who apply the restraints to the people they support. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative methodology was utilised. A semi-structured interview was conducted with nine support workers who: directly worked with a client with intellectual disabilities who engage in self-injurious behaviours; followed positive behavioural support plans developed with a multi-disciplinary team; applied restraints as a response to severe self-injurious behaviours to prevent harm; and they had to have been directly involved in the application and removal of the mechanical restraints in the last week. Content analysis utilising emergent coding was used to analyse the data. Findings – All participants described using mechanical restraints as having a negative impact upon them. Participants said they manage the negative impact by reframing, inhibiting their emotions, following support plans closely and gaining support from other staff. Participants described concerns and unmet needs regarding whether they were applying the restraints correctly, the responsibility of teaching others to use restraints, not feeling prepared on starting their current job and that the impact/concerns of using restraints is not talked about. Recommendations for practice are made. Originality/value – This is the first study to explore the views of care staff who are required to use mechanical restraint. It provides insight on the impact of this on them.

Experiences of Support Staff with Expanding and Strengthening Social Networks of People with Mild Intellectual Disabilities

ABSTRACTA supportive social network is crucial for facilitating social inclusion. The social networks of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often small and typically include very little contact with friends and acquaintances who do not have ID. Professionals can play an important role in strengthening and expanding the social networks of clients. In this study, experiences with interventions aimed at doing this were examined. Six group interviews were held with a total of 27 professionals. The results showed interventions to strengthen social networks (e.g. attention to the maintenance of contact with network members) and interventions to expand social networks (e.g. participation in leisure time activities and working with volunteers). However, a large number of impeding factors was mentioned, such as the limited size of the social networks, characteristics of the client, different perceptions and clients falling between the cracks when it comes to leisure time. The large number of impeding factors shows the strengthening and expansion of social networks to be complicated in actual practice. Recommendations are thus made to strengthen and expand the social networks of clients in an innovative manner which also takes these impeding factors into account. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

A Preliminary Survey of Interpersonal Conflict at Major Games and Championships

Interpersonal conflict is a common factor reported by governing bodies and their athletes when preparing for, or competing in, major games and championships (Olusoga, Butt, Hays, &amp; Maynard, 2009). The aim of this study was to conduct a preliminary exploration of a UK home nation’s athletes, management, and support staff experiences of interpersonal conflict during competition. Ninety participants who had represented or worked for their nation at major games or championships completed a detailed survey of interpersonal conflict experiences associated with competition. The results suggest athletes, coaches, and team managers are at the greatest risk from interpersonal conflict, while the competition venue and athlete village are where the most incidences of conflict occur. Interpersonal conflict was also suggested to predominantly lead to negative cognitive, affective, and behavioral consequences (disagreement, anger, upset, loss in concentration). Findings are discussed in the context of the experience of the interpersonal conflict with provisional recommendations offered for developing effective strategies for conflict management.