Long-term Care Workers Research Articles

Work Disparities and the Health of Nurses in Long-Term Care: A Scoping Review.

Work disparities, such as unfairness in pay or unequal distribution of work experienced by nurses in long-term care (LTC), can impact the retention and health of this workforce. Background: Despite the significant impact of disparities on nurses' health in LTC, a literature review on work disparities of nurses in LTC has not been conducted. Method: This scoping review aimed to explore the nature and extent of research on meso-level work disparities experienced by nurses in LTC and its links with nurse health and well-being. Five databases were searched: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), PsycINFO (Ovid), SCOPUS, and CINAHL (EBSCO host). Results: Of the 5652 articles retrieved, 16 studies (14 quantitative and 2 qualitative) published between 1997 and 2024 met the inclusion criteria. A total of 53 work disparities were identified. Only four articles investigated the association of a work disparity with a variable of health (e.g., physical, mental, or poor general health). Conclusions: The results suggest that more attention to how disparities impact nurses' health and lived experiences is warranted. Meso-level disparities from this review provide an initial basis to consider possibilities in the workplace, especially in supporting equity and opportunities for health and well-being at work (e.g., through fair access to professional growth opportunities and a more equitable balance of work expectations and demands of nursing staff). Future studies of the intersection of macro- and meso-level factors are needed to inform better workplace practices and social and economic policies to support the well-being, health, and safety of nurses at work in LTC.

Securing human resources for Japan’s aging population: a mixed methods study of job satisfaction and well-being among Southeast Asian long-term care workers in Japan

BackgroundJapan is one of the countries experiencing a “super-aged society.” The government has looked to Southeast Asia for recruiting workers to fill the demand for long-term care (LTC) workers. However, migrant LTC workers have faced many job-related stressors. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with job satisfaction and subjective well-being among Filipino, Indonesian, and Vietnamese LTC workers in Japan and explore the specific factors behind what makes them satisfied in their jobs.MethodsA convergent mixed methods study was conducted. The workers were recruited through snowball and convenience sampling and completed a self-administered questionnaire for the quantitative part. The association of the work environment with the workers’ job satisfaction and subjective well-being were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis. An interpretive phenomenological approach was used to conduct in-depth interviews of the workers, which were analyzed using a deductive and inductive approach for the qualitative part. Quantitative and qualitative results were integrated and interpreted to expand on the findings with new insights.ResultsIn the final analysis, 122 workers were included (20 Filipino, 43 Indonesian, and 59 Vietnamese). In the quantitative part, having the necessary tools/equipment (Unstandardized Coefficient [B] = 16.1, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 6.8, 25.3) and support from work (B = 18.1, 95% CI = 8.6, 27.6) were associated with a higher level of job satisfaction. Having experienced harassment on the job was associated with a lower level of job satisfaction (B = -18.2, p = 0.007, 95% CI = -28.5, -7.8). There is no strong evidence for the association with subjective well-being. In the qualitative part, prominent themes emerged related to cultural sensitivity and an inadequate knowledge of caring for older adults living with dementia. The integrated findings suggested inadequate and unequal Japanese language training across the facilities. Moreover, the importance of human relations in the workplace emerged, with some workers desiring a deeper connection with their Japanese coworkers.ConclusionsA supportive and culturally sensitive work environment may bring about more motivated employees and increase employee retention from migrant LTC workers. Government and facilities should consider policies supporting a culturally sensitive work environment and more equitable Japanese language training across all facilities.

Addressing data gaps on long-term care in Canada through data linkage

BackgroundWithin the context of Canada’s aging population, the complexities of its long-term care system, and the COVID-19 pandemic, information about long-term care facilities, their residents, and their workers is needed. However, little information exists on long-term care residents as they are rarely included in population surveys, and data on the facility characteristics of long-term care workers’ places of employment are often not available. Objective and ApproachTo effectively monitor changes, improvements, and health outcomes in Canada’s long-term care sector, many data gaps need to be addressed. This paper will present the results of an initiative that sought to examine the potential of integrating existing survey and administrative data sources to fill these gaps. A novel approach was taken which focused on how both facility-level and individual-level data could be integrated, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of long-term care in Canada. ResultsThis initiative resulted in the development of two data linkage proposals. This presentation will provide an overview of the data sources identified for linkage, the approach taken to examine the feasibility of these linkages, challenges with integrating the data sets, and next steps to move the initiative forward. ImplicationsThe data linkages that will be discussed will help to address data gaps on Canada’s long-term care system. The proposed data linkages may also provide researchers with ideas for using similar data sources to address data gaps in long-term care in their respective countries.

The Effectiveness of Group Interpersonal Therapy on Burnout Among Long-Term Care Workers.

Burnout syndrome can have a negative impact on people who work in occupations that require close interaction with others, contributing to a decline in their psychological well-being. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Group Interpersonal Therapy (IPT-G) in reducing burnout among care workers for older adults in a Turkish long-term care facility. The study employed a pretest-post-test randomised experimental design. Fifty care workers scoring 27 or above on emotional exhaustion and 10 or above on depersonalisation subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group for 8 weeks. The study utilised the World Health Organization (WHO) Group Interpersonal Therapy for Depression manual as a guide. The post-test was conducted immediately after the last session of the intervention. In comparing pre- and post-test scores of the intervention group, a statistically significant difference was found in overall burnout scores (pretest M = 74.10, post-test M = 63.08, p < 0.001; d = 1.12). Additionally, emotional exhaustion scores (pretest M = 30.99, post-test M = 24.89, p < 0.001; d = 1.11) and depersonalisation scores (pretest M = 12.76, post-test M = 8.53, p < 0.001; d = 1.69) exhibited significant differences. However, no significant difference was observed in personal accomplishment scores (p > 0.05). The control group had no significant differences concerning the overall burnout scores and all three subscales (p > 0.05). The IPT-G used in this study effectively decreased burnout among care workers in a long-term care facility in Türkiye. In addition, the participants reported high satisfaction with the IPT-G program. Our results support the usefulness of the IPT-G program for care workers in long-term care facilities considering adding it to their occupational health management. This research aimed to determine whether IPT-G successfully decreased care worker burnout. Future research focusing on various types of healthcare workers in long-term care facilities and examining factors such as burnout, job satisfaction and self-efficacy could provide more information on the effects of IPT-G.

We did our Best!: The Experience of Frontline Workers in Long-Term Care during COVID-19 Outbreaks

We did our Best!: The Experience of Frontline Workers in Long-Term Care during COVID-19 Outbreaks

"We just take care after each other": Relational health strategies of nurses and nursing aides working in residential long-term care as a mechanism of in- and exclusion in care teams.

The health of care workers in residential long-term care (LTC) is under pressure. Scholars emphasize the importance of gender-sensitive and intersectional approaches to occupational health. To unravel how the health of nurses and nursing aides is shaped by gender, class, age, sexuality and race. A qualitative participatory study. A participatory research team, consisting of academic scholars and nursing aides, conducted semi-structures interviews (N = 20) and one natural group discussion (N = 8 participants) to validate our findings. Thematic data-analysis was guided by gender and intersectionality theory. Empirical findings suggest that gendered norms limit possibilities for self-care for female nurses and nursing aides. Feeling uncared for by society and LTC organizations, paid care workers describe how they take care of each other. These relational health strategies require a feeling of sameness, limiting space for diversity and disability within care teams. Care workers seen as 'cultural other', or those who experienced (chronic) health issues, financial struggles or informal caregiving, risked being excluded from relational care within care teams, which negatively impacted their health. Care workers' relational health strategies are a gendered and care ethical response to the lack of societal and political care for LTC, but can become mechanisms of exclusion within care teams. This can be understood as a sign of exhaustion, shaped by adverse working conditions and leading to moral stress. The lack of societal appreciation needs to be addressed by occupational health physicians and LTC organizations, to counter mechanisms of exclusion among paid care workers.

"I haven't really gone through things like this": Young long-term care workers' experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long-term care (LTC) facilities were hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Using life course theory concepts, we looked for conditions that led to worker moral distress -i.e. pain or anguish over not being able to take right action - and how life stage may influence experiences. To illuminate the experiences of adults under the age of 30 who stepped into, and/or persevered in, working in LTC during the pandemic, recognizing that this emerging workforce represents the future of LTC in Canada. This secondary analysis uses interview data from a sub-sample of 16 young workers between 18 and 29 years of age who had been working in Canadian LTC facilities for between 8 months and 7 years. Young workers expressed feeling guilt about mourning the loss of socially significant milestones as these milestones paled by comparison to the loss of life and consequences of resident isolation they witnessed at work. To manage feelings of moral distress, young workers attempted to maintain high standards of care for LTC residents and engaged in self-care activities. For some workers, this was insufficient and leaving the field of LTC was their strategy to respond to their mental health needs. The life stage of young LTC workers influenced their experiences of working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interventions are needed to support young workers' wellbeing and job retention.

Long-Term Emotional Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Barriers and Facilitators to Digital Mental Health Tools in Long-Term Care Workers: Qualitative Study.

The overall pandemic created enormous pressure on long-term care workers (LTCWs), making them particularly vulnerable to mental disorders. Despite this, most of the available evidence on professional well-being during COVID-19 has exclusively focused on frontline health care workers. This study aimed to identify the long-term psychological needs of LTCWs derived from the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore barriers and facilitators related to digital mental health tools. This is part of a project that seeks to develop a digital mental health intervention to reduce psychological distress in this population group. We performed a qualitative study with a rapid research approach. Participants were LTCWs of the autonomous community of Catalonia. We conducted 30 semistructured interviews between April and September 2022. We used a qualitative content analysis method with an inductive-deductive approach. The period of the pandemic with the highest mental health burden was the COVID-19 outbreak, with almost all workers having experienced some form of emotional distress. Emotional distress persisted over time in more than half of the participants, with fatigue and nervousness being the main emotions expressed at the time of the interview. High workload, the feeling that pandemic times are not over, and poor working conditions that have remained since then have been the most frequently expressed determinants of such emotions. Potential barriers and facilitators to engagement with digital tools were also identified in terms of previous experience and beliefs of the target population, possibilities for the integration of a digital tool into daily life, preferences regarding the level of guidance, the possibility of social connectedness through the tool, and privacy and confidentiality. The identified factors may become especially relevant in the context of the pandemic remission phase. More than 2 years after the pandemic outbreak, emotional distress is still relevant. The persistent burden of psychological distress points to a need for institutions to take action to improve working conditions and promote employees' well-being. Considering factors that act as barriers and facilitators for the use of digital mental health tools, it is important to develop tailored tools that could offer valuable support to this population during and after a pandemic.

The scope of practice of geriatric dentistry in British Columbia (Canada): An exploratory study.

The oral health needs of frail older adults are increasing with an aging population in Canada. The objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of dentists in British Columbia regarding their view of geriatric dentistry as a distinct scope of practice and in relation to special needs dentistry. Qualitative data were gathered thorough semi guided interviews of a purposeful sample of dental clinicians, educators and members of organized dentistry with specialized knowledge of oral health for frail older adults. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a thematic approach. Thematic saturation was reached with the 10 participants in this study. Through the method of interpretative description, patient, dentist, and systemic factors that shaped scope of practice for geriatric dentistry were identified as well as the broader skill sets required for geriatric dentistry. The study found that participants perceived geriatric dentistry as unique scope of practice from general dentistry requiring special knowledge in the management of challenges associated with aging with frailty as well as the ability to work in long-term care. Similar to special needs dentistry, geriatric dentistry requires person-centered care and emphasized the need for interprofessional collaboration in alternative care settings.

Care Workers' Turnover Intentions Associated With Workplace Abuse: The Role of Work-Related Stress and Job Satisfaction.

This study examines the association between workplace abuse experienced by care workers at the hands of care recipients and their turnover intentions, as well as the mediating effects of work-related stress and job satisfaction. Compared to care recipients' experiences of abuse, care workers' experiences have been relatively underexplored. Using data from the Korean National Long-Term Care Survey in 2019, the path from workplace abuse to care workers' turnover intentions was examined. Results showed significant mediating effects of work-related stress and job satisfaction in the relationship between workplace abuse and turnover intentions. Findings have policy implications for improving long-term care workers' social awareness and working conditions.

Professional attractiveness among long-term care workers in nursing homes in China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe population aging trend and the shortage of elderly care workers require the long-term care profession to become more attractive. However, the professional attractiveness among long-term care workers has yet to be extensively studied. This study aims to identify the factors that influence the attractiveness of the long-term care profession for nursing home (NH) care workers..MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in more than 50 NHs. Perception of professional attractiveness among long-term care workers and potential associated factors were measured using the Attractive Work Questionnaire (AWQ) and structural instruments including the Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). A multiple linear regression method was employed to explore the influence of potential independent variables on professional attractiveness.ResultsThe overall response rate was 99%. The results showed the score of professional attractiveness (185.37 ± 20.034), as well as the scores of each component (99.26 ± 11.258 for work condition, 30.13 ± 3.583 for work content, and 55.99 ± 7.074 for job satisfaction). Findings of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that age(β = 0.129, p<.05), years of work(β = 0.156, p<.05), 12-hour shifts(β = 0.185, p<.05), and training times per year(β = 0.148, p<.05) positively associated with long-term care workers perceived professional attractiveness. Whereas only ageism(β=-0.267, p<.05) significantly and negatively influenced professional attractiveness.ConclusionsThe perceived professional attractiveness of long-term care workers in NHs was acceptable. Age, years of work, shifts, training opportunities, and ageism contributed to the professional attractiveness of nursing home care workers in China. Target intervention measures should be taken to enhance the attractiveness of long-term care careers so as to avoid the shortage of long-term care workers.

Engaging Long-Term Care Workers in Research: Recruitment Approaches and Participant Characteristics From a Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve COVID-19 Vaccine Confidence

ObjectiveTo describe and compare the recruitment methods employed in a randomized controlled trial targeting long-term care workers, and resulting participant baseline characteristics. DesignWe used a multifaceted recruitment process to enroll long-term care workers in our 3-arm randomized controlled trial comparing 2 interventions to enhanced usual practice, for improving COVID-19 vaccine confidence and other outcomes. Setting and ParticipantsAdult long-term care workers living in the United States employed within the last 2 years were invited to join the study. Participants also had to meet specific screening criteria related to their degree of worry about the vaccine and/or their vaccination status. MethodsWe used a participatory approach to engage our long-term care stakeholders in codesigning and executing a combination of recruitment methods, including targeted e-recruitment, paid e-recruitment, and in-person recruitment. Participants were screened, consented, and enrolled online. We implemented a participant verification process to ensure the integrity of our study data, and used a tailored participant management platform to manage enrollment. ResultsWe enrolled 1930 long-term care workers between May 2022 and January 2023. We met our enrollment target, despite each recruitment method having limitations. Total variable costs of approximately $102,700 were incurred and differed on a per-enrolled participant basis across methods: $25.73 for targeted e-recruitment, $57.12 for paid e-recruitment, and $64.92 for in-person methods. Our sample differed from the national population in age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and role in long-term care. Differences were also observed between online and in-person recruitment methods. Conclusions and ImplicationsOur results support the feasibility of enrolling a large number of long-term care workers in a randomized controlled trial to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence. Findings build upon the evidence base for engaging this important population in research, a critical step to improving long-term care resident health and well-being. Results from our trial are anticipated in 2024.

Enduring the unseen burden: a qualitative analysis on long-term emotional impact of COVID-19 on long-term care workers

IntroductionLong-term care facilities, such as nursing homes and other assisted living facilities, have been hit particularly hard by the COVID-19. The overall pandemic created an enormous pressure on long-term care workers (LTCWs), making them particularly vulnerable to mental disorders. However, most of the existing evidence regarding the well-being of care professionals has predominantly focused on frontline healthcare workers.ObjectivesThis study aimed to identify long-term psychological needs of LTCWs derived from the COVID-19 pandemic, as part of a project that is developing an intervention to reduce psychological distress in this population group.MethodsWe performed a qualitative study with a rapid research approach. Participants were recruited from long-term care facilities located in Catalonia, Spain. Between April and September 2022, we conducted semi-structured interviews inquiring about the most psychologically challenging stages of the pandemic, perceived emotions during those stages, main determinants of those emotions, and their emotional state at the time of the interview. We used a qualitative content analysis method with an inductive-deductive approach.ResultsThirty LTCWs participated in the study. Mean age was 44 (SD=11,4), 87% were females and one third were from foreign nationalities. The period of the pandemic with highest mental health burden was the outbreak, with almost every worker having experienced some form of emotional distress. Emotional distress persisted over time in more than half of participants, with fatigue and nervousness being the main emotions expressed at the time of the interview. High workload, feeling that pandemic times are not over and poor working conditions that have remained since then, have been the most frequently expressed determinants of such emotions.ConclusionsLong after the pandemic outbreak, emotional distress is still relevant. The persistent burden of psychological distress points to a need for institutions to take action to improve working conditions and promote employees’ wellbeing.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Who will take care of them? A reflection on Southern European welfare regimes

The age profile of a country influences the organization of healthcare arrangements for older people. In southern European countries, the low performance of the welfare state and traditional family-oriented culture have led to an informal and gendered model of care, with women often responsible for the (unpaid) caregiving work. However, the increasing female participation in the labour market challenges these welfare regimes, prompting a shift in family responsibilities outside the family. Moreover, in response to the growing need for long-term care workers, some European countries have relied on individuals with a “migratory background” rather than restructuring their public elderly care services. This article examines the demographic, cultural, economic, and social changes of southern welfare regimes. The introduction of policies that, directly or indirectly, eliminate gender stereotypes in informal caregiving work and the diffusion of equal family-care culture are measures that can no longer be postponed in addressing the future of such welfare regimes.

Sustainable employability of long-term care staff in self-managing teams: A qualitative study.

To discover what long-term care (LTC) staff working in self-managing teams consider necessary to remain sustainably employable. Qualitative study with semi-structured interviews. In 2020, semi-structured interviews were conducted one-on-one with 25 LTC workers from a medium-large Dutch organization providing long-term care. All interviews were audio-recorded, anonymously transcribed verbatim and analysed with thematic content analysis in the software program Atlas.ti. LTC workers indicated a need for autonomy. They wanted their control and involvement in decisions to be strengthened. Furthermore, LTC workers indicated a need for relatedness, by experiencing support, a feeling of togetherness and more time to have attention for the residents. Lastly, LTC workers expressed a need for (assistance in) further developing their competence. In order to remain willing and able to work, LTC workers in self-managing teams want their needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence to be addressed. Working conditions are important to these LTC workers' sustainable employability since they can hinder or promote the satisfaction of their needs. It is important that management in LTC is aware of the importance of LTC workers' needs for sustainable employability. We recommend that management critically reflect on and invest in addressing these needs by enhancing indicators and limiting inhibitors of the needs. A robust LTC workforce is necessary to provide care to the aging population. In the context of the increasing implementation of self-managing teams in LTC organizations, understanding what workers in self-managing teams need in order to remain sustainably employable is crucial. For sustainable employability (i.e. to remain willing and able to work), interviewees indicated a need for autonomy, relatedness, and competence. Nearly all participants stressed the importance of belonging and feeling connected. Working conditions seemed to relate not only directly to the sustainable employability of LTC staff but also indirectly through their lack of contribution to the satisfaction of workers' psychological needs. The outcomes of this study primarily impact workers and management within LTC organizations with self-managing teams. They benefit from recognizing the significance of addressing workers' needs to ensure their essential and sustainable employability in the sector. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research and the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative (COREQ) research were used. Two LTC workers provided advice and feedback regarding the materials and set up of the interviews. These two ambassadors additionally helped in reaching our population, by disseminating information about the study.

장기요양요원 지원 입법정책과정연구와 향후과제 : Kingdon 정책모형의 서울시, 양천구, 강남구 사례를 중심으로

장기요양요원 지원 입법정책과정연구와 향후과제 : Kingdon 정책모형의 서울시, 양천구, 강남구 사례를 중심으로

Work precarity, employment characteristics and health among Canada's long-term care and seniors' home workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted several issues among health care workers in Canada's long-term care and seniors' (LTCS) homes, including labour shortages, staff retention difficulties, overcrowding, and precarious working conditions. There is currently a lack of information on the health, well-being and working conditions of health care workers in LTCS homes - many of them immigrants - and a limited understanding of the relationship between them. This paper examines differences between immigrant and non-immigrant workers' health outcomes and precarious working conditions during the pandemic. The data were from the 2021 Survey on Health Care Workers' Experiences During the Pandemic, which collected information on LTCS home health care workers' (n=2,051) health, employment or work experiences, and working environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Summary statistics and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to examine the association between precarious work and workers' health (life stress, mental health and general health), stratified by immigrant status. Selected working characteristics were included in the regression models as covariates, namely occupation, number of locations worked, facility ownership status and number of years worked. Immigrant health care workers were more likely than non-immigrant health care workers to experience precarious work in LTCS homes. Precarious work - characterized by income loss, reduced hours of work, and unpaid leave - was associated with stress and poor general health among immigrant and non-immigrant workers in the sector. Employment precarity was also associated with poor mental health for immigrant workers, but there was no association for non-immigrant workers. Employment precarity and the health and well-being of health care workers warrants further attention, in particular among immigrants employed in the LTCS residential care sector.

COVID-19 incentive payments for long-term care workers.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the Russian Federation, social care providers received incentives such as bonuses and welfare payments. The study examines the association between COVID-19 pandemic indicators and distribution of incentives to care providers in Russia. To test the hypotheses, regression analysis is employed. Hypothesis H1, regarding the correlation between the COVID-19 case rate in aspecific region of the Russian Federation and the actual monetary amount of bonus payments compensating for challenging working conditions of care workers in that region is supported. Hypotheses H2-H3, regarding the relationship between the COVID-19 cases/recovery rate and the monetary amount of special welfare payments to care workers distributed across the country during agiven calendar month are also supported. Hypothesis H4, pertaining to the relationship between the Fiscal Year End and the monetary amount of special welfare payments distributed throughout the country to care providers during agiven calendar month, is likewise supported. There is acorrelation between payments to social care providers and coronavirus pandemic indicators (Tab. 5, Ref. 31). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: welfare payment, bonus, care providers.

Migrant healthcare assistants’ decision to work in long-term care

In high-income countries, population ageing has a significant impact on the labour force and care demands. As a result, the tendency is to rely on migrant workers to meet workforce and care demands. Drawing on insights from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study focused on unskilled migrant healthcare assistants in Norway’s long-term care. The objectives were to explore factors influencing the decision of unskilled migrant healthcare assistants to work in elderly care, sources of knowledge about work in elderly care, and challenges encountered in elderly care work. The key research questions were as follows: a) What factors influence the decision of migrant healthcare assistants to work in elderly care? b) What are the sources of knowledge/information about work in elderly care for migrant healthcare assistants? c) What are some of the challenges of working in elderly care for migrant healthcare assistants? Qualitative research and purposive sampling were used to recruit 20 participants: 13 unskilled migrant healthcare assistants and seven managers of long-term care facilities in South-Eastern and Northern Norway. Data were collected using in-depth individual interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation, and thematically analysed. Findings indicated that factors influencing unskilled migrant healthcare assistants' decision to work in the elderly care sector included cultural norms and values of caring for older people, nonrecognition of overseas qualifications and economic considerations. State-organized language learning programmes, Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) offices, as well as migrant family and community networks, provided crucial information about work in elderly care. Challenges regarding lack of career progression, temporary working contracts, low status and poor wages emerged. In conclusion, meaningful employment outcome through better opportunities for career progression are essential for unskilled migrant healthcare assistants’ well-being and care for older people. It would be useful for long-term care policymakers and stakeholders to address the challenges faced by its aged care workforce.

NURSING STUDENTS’ RESPONSE TO THE AGE-FRIENDLY HEALTH SYSTEMS 4MS FRAMEWORK CURRICULUM

Abstract Problem There is a shortage of registered nurses, especially those choosing to work in long-term care. Providing interdisciplinary education on age-friendly health care to nursing students offers long-term care as a career option post-graduation. To evaluate the effectiveness of teaching nursing students about age-friendly health care, the students must provide adequate feedback on the educational content they receive. Purpose: This project is part of the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms project and identified why nursing students did not complete a comprehensive survey after receiving an interdisciplinary educational session based on the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms Framework. Research design: A focus group design was used, and subjects were recruited from nursing students who received the educational session but did not complete the comprehensive survey. Questions for the focus group discussion were derived from the content received during the academic session and from the comprehensive survey. The focus group interview was audio-recorded, and the recordings were transcribed verbatim. Data analysis: Focus group transcripts were analyzed using descriptive content analysis to determine themes. Results The outcome of this study provided researchers with insight into why nursing students did not complete the comprehensive survey. The results of this study will help improve future comprehensive survey response rates for the remainder of the Age-Friendly Health Systems 4Ms project. Significance: The findings of this study enhances the validity and reliability of the comprehensive survey results and informs researchers across disciplines on how to avoid low survey response rates.