CIHR-funded nursing study finds specialized senior care delivers best hospital outcomes

fmaquito — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Seniors receiving hospital care in acute care for elders units have shorter hospital stays, experience fewer declines in physical functioning and are less likely to be discharged to a nursing home than when treated in regular hospital units. This is one of the preliminary findings of a -funded study led at 91��ɫ.

The researchers systematically screened more than 50,000 articles on existing studies of acute care for elders interventions, and included 63 different studies in either a narrative or meta-analysis.

91��ɫ nursing Professor Mary Fox, the study's principal investigator, unveiled the preliminary findings at 91��ɫ Central Hospital recently, while Michael Johnny of the Knowledge Mobilization (KM) unit provided KMb strategies to help the hospital determine how to disseminate the information.

Above: Mary Fox with participants at the unveiling at 91��ɫ Central Hospital

The goal of the research is to develop senior-friendly hospitals by informing and engaging decision makers about the best interventions to prevent functional cognitive, social and physical decline in older adults when they are hospitalized. Seventy-five per cent of people age 65 and older have two chronic illnesses and that can lead to a sudden worsening of their condition requiring hospitalization, says Fox.

Right: Mary Fox

“Sixty-two per cent of all day beds in acute care are filled with people 65 years of age and older and they make up only 13 per cent of the population. They really are the core care customer for acute care hospitals,” she says. “My role is to get the evidence and engage the decision makers and researchers in interpreting it for their context. We’re not just rolling it out, but engaging them from the very beginning so the information will be more useful.”

Left: Deborah Tregunno

The study also looked at what the system needs to provide and what interventions are needed to best serve seniors in acute care hospitals.

“I was interested in the study because there is really a lot of evidence that says when older people visit hospitals, they are at risk of experiencing bad outcomes,” says Fox. “The poor outcomes are not related to their illness, but to other things, like not getting up and walking around while in the hospital or not eating well. There are things that fall through the cracks.”

91��ɫ Central Hospital is interested in knowing what those things are so they can provide even better care for older adults.

Professor Deborah Tregunno and Professor Malini Persaud, a former post-doctoral fellow, both of 91��ɫ's School of Nursing in the Faculty of Health, along with 91��ɫ librarian IIo-Katryn Maimets and researchers from Ryerson University and the University of Toronto, were co-investigators of the study.

The team also included Michael Johnny, Andrea England, director of research and partnerships in the Faculty of Health, 91��ɫ adjunct librarian Angela Hamiton and decision-making partners Tiziana Rivera, chief practice officer at 91��ɫ Central Hospital, and Dr. Mary Ferguson-Paré, former vice-president of professional affairs and chief nurse executive at University Health Network.

By Sandra McLean, YFile writer

Republished courtesy of YFile– 91��ɫ’s daily e-bulletin.

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Nursing researchers collaborate with Department of Theatre to highlight patient safety issues on stage

fmaquito — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 08:00:00 +0000

When it comes to Canadian Patient Safety Week, the play’s the thing.

Researchers at 91��ɫ’s have come up with a pioneering way to convey their evidence-based research on what can happen when health-care mistakes are made – they’re putting on a play about it.

Seeing the Forest, inspired by a true story about what happens when a patient is not heard, will be staged as part of , Nov. 1 to 5.

Directed by 91��ɫ theatre studies PhD candidate Laura Jayne Nelles (BA Spec. Hons. ’84, MFA ’07) and presented by 91��ɫ's Faculty of Health and the 91��ɫ – UHN (University Health Network) Nursing Academy, the play will take place Monday, Nov. 1 at 1pm in 152 Founders Assembly Hall, Founders College, Keele campus. The event is free and open to everyone.

It will also be performed as part of a symposium at various health-care sites across the Greater Toronto Area.

91��ɫ Professors Deborah Tregunno and Liane Ginsburg of the School of Nursing, are leaders in the field of patient safety culture. They collaborated with 91��ɫ nursing Professor Gail Mitchell, who has experience with conveying research findings through the arts. This dramatic approach presents research from their studies conducted in four provinces, in cooperation with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute.

The play’s development was financially supported by the 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health Interprofessional Education Fund (IPE). IPE programming is shared with the health-care community through the Faculty’s innovative .

Co-written by professional playwright Julia Gray (BFA Spec. Hons. ’98, MA ’07) and Mitchell, Seeing the Forest is being performed in collaboration with six organizations, including the Central Community Care Access Centre, the , , , and Unionville Home Society.

“By dramatizing research using the arts, the findings become more meaningful,” says Mitchell. “The play presents the complexity of real life from the perspective of the patient and health care professionals. The impact is much stronger than it would be if you were just reading words off the page of a research report.”

The key character in the play, Healther, goes to the hospital for routine surgery and tries to communicate specific concerns to different health-care providers, yet things go awry. Research suggests that 2.9 to 16.6 percent of patients in acute care hospitals experience one or more adverse events.

“Health care providers work hard to keep patients safe every day. However, there are often systemic issues that contribute to errors. This play is valuable because it strikes an emotional chord and engages people in conversations about improving safety,” says Tregunno.

“This play is a great example of the innovative and interdisciplinary approaches to health care led by 91��ɫ’s Faculty of Health,” adds Professor Lesley Beagrie, associate dean, professional & global programs. “Instead of tailoring health-care programs to individual silos within the health profession, we aim to keep the focus on the end user – the patient.”

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CIHR-funded nursing study finds specialized senior care delivers best hospital outcomes

Nursing researchers collaborate with Department of Theatre to highlight patient safety issues on stage