What Works to Improve and Manage Fecal Incontinence in Care Home Residents Living With Dementia? A Realist Synthesis of the Evidence

Feasibility of Identifying Factors Related to Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementia in Real-World Data

A comprehensive view of factors associated with AD/ADRD will significantly aid in studies to develop new treatments for AD/ADRD and identify high-risk populations and patients for prevention efforts. In our study, we summarized the risk factors for AD/ADRD by reviewing existing meta-analyses and review articles on risk and preventive factors for AD/ADRD. In total, we extracted 477 risk factors in 10 categories from 537 studies. We constructed an interactive knowledge map to disseminate our study results. Most of the risk factors are accessible from structured Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and clinical narratives show promise as information sources. However, evaluating genomic risk factors using RWD remains a challenge, as genetic testing for AD/ADRD is still not a common practice and is poorly documented in both structured and unstructured EHRs. Considering the constantly evolving research on AD/ADRD risk factors, literature mining via NLP methods offers a solution to automatically update our knowledge map.

Outcome measures from international older adult care home intervention research: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

Care homes are increasingly important settings for intervention research to enhance evidence-informed care. For such research to demonstrate effectiveness, it is essential that measures are appropriate for the population, setting and practice contexts.

OBJECTIVE

To identify care home intervention studies and describe the resident outcome measures used.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

We reviewed international care home research published from 2015 to August 2022. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and ASSIA. We included any intervention study conducted in a care home, reporting resident outcomes. We extracted resident outcome measures, organised these using the domains of an adapted framework and described their use.

RESULTS

From 7,330 records screened, we included 396 datasets reported in 436 publications. These included 12,167 care homes and 836,842 residents, with an average of 80 residents per study. The studies evaluated 859 unique resident outcomes 2,030 times using 732 outcome measures. Outcomes were evaluated between 1 and 112 times, with 75.1% of outcomes evaluated only once. Outcome measures were used 1-120 times, with 68.4% of measures used only once. Only 14 measures were used ≥20 times. Functional status, mood & behaviour and medications were the commonest outcome domains assessed. More than half of outcomes were assessed using scales, with a fifth using existing records or administrative data.

CONCLUSIONS

There is significant heterogeneity in the choice and assessment of outcomes for intervention research in care homes. There is an urgent need to develop a consensus on useful and sensitive tools for care homes, working with residents, families and friends and staff.

Art of connectedness: Value-creating care for older persons provided with toileting assistance and containment strategies-A critical interpretive synthesis

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim was to conduct a synthesis of the literature on value-creating care for older persons with incontinence provided with toileting assistance and containment strategies, from the perspectives of older persons and healthcare professionals.

BACKGROUND

Incontinence is a health problem for many persons worldwide and the problem will increase as the global population ages. It can have a profound impact on a person's wellbeing, and assistance with toileting and containment strategies is common in home care settings and nursing homes.

DESIGN

The design was a literature review with an iterative, reflexive and critical approach.

METHODS

A critical interpretive synthesis was conducted. Ten papers published between 2011 and 2019 were analysed. The PRISMA -ScR Checklist was used in this review.

RESULTS

Based on the findings, the conceptual construct 'The art of connectedness' was developed, built on co-created care, personalised care and reflective care between the older person and healthcare professionals. Co-created care is based on establishing a relationship, building trust and respecting preferences. Personalised care consists of meeting the person's needs, promoting comfort and maintaining self-determination. Reflective care entails showing empathy, upholding the person's dignity and developing professional competence.

CONCLUSIONS

Value-creating care consists conceptually of a connectedness that starts with co-creating the care together with the older person in a close relationship. Assistance is given and received based on the older person's individual needs and is highly valued by the older person as it helps them maintain self-determination. Reflective care is of importance for healthcare professionals.

RELEVANCE FOR PRACTICE

The findings are hoped to enhance healthcare professionals' understanding of how to improve the clinical encounter in nursing when providing assistance. They may also stimulate critical reflection among healthcare professionals on how to improve assistance to meet the older person's values.

A Rapid Realist Review of Quality Care Process Metrics Implementation in Nursing and Midwifery Practice

Quality measurement initiatives promote quality improvement in healthcare but can be challenging to implement effectively. This paper presents a Rapid Realist Review (RRR) of published literature on Quality Care-Process Metrics (QCP-M) implementation in nursing and midwifery practice. An RRR informed by RAMESES II standards was conducted as an efficient means to synthesize evidence using an expert panel. The review involved research question development, quality appraisal, data extraction, and evidence synthesis. Six program theories summarised below identify the key characteristics that promote positive outcomes in QCP-M implementation. Program Theory 1: Focuses on the evidence base and accessibility of the QCP-M and their ease of use by nurses and midwives working in busy and complex care environments. Program Theory 2: Examines the influence of external factors on QCP-M implementation. Program Theory 3: Relates to existing cultures and systems within clinical sites. Program Theory 4: Relates to nurses’ and midwives’ knowledge and beliefs. Program Theory 5: Builds on the staff theme of Programme Theory four, extending the culture of organizational learning, and highlights the meaningful engagement of nurses and midwives in the implementation process as a key characteristic of success. Program Theory 6: Relates to patient needs. The results provide nursing and midwifery policymakers and professionals with evidence-based program theory that can be translated into action-orientated strategies to help guide successful QCP-M implementation.

Which Characteristics of Fecal Incontinence Predispose Incontinence-Associated Dermatitis? A Classification and Regression Tree Analysis

OBJECTIVE

To investigate which characteristics of fecal incontinence (FI) are predictors for incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) using the Classification and Regression Tree method.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Data collected from 2014 to 2016 during the Austrian Nursing Quality Measurement 2.0, an annually conducted, cross-sectional, multicenter prevalence study, were merged and analyzed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

The duration, frequency, and amount of FI were used as predictors for IAD. Nurses were asked if the participants suffered from IAD based on their clinical judgment (yes/no).

MAIN RESULTS

In total, 1,513 participants with FI were included in this analysis. More than 75% of the participants with FI were to a great extent or completely care dependent. Of all FI participants, nearly 6% suffered from IAD, and more than 70% received special skin care for IAD prevention. Participants with FI had the highest risk of developing IAD if they experienced FI every day, had FI for less than 3 months, and had developed the FI in their current institution.

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses face many challenges while helping patients with FI maintain healthy skin. Knowledge of the results of this study and accumulated knowledge about the specific characteristics of FI that are associated with the development of IAD can help healthcare personnel prevent IAD. Based on these results, improving patient education for persons with newly diagnosed FI to prevent IAD is recommended. Research studies should use the definition of FI established by the International Continence Society.

A concept analysis of dignity-protective continence care for care dependent older people in long-term care settings

Background

Although codes of conduct, guidelines and standards call for healthcare practitioners to protect patients’ dignity, there are widespread concerns about a lack of attention to the dignity of older people who need assistance with toileting, incontinence or bladder or bowel care in health or social care settings that provide long-term care. Incontinence and care dependence threatens patient dignity. The aim of this research was to explore, describe and explain the concept of dignity as it relates to continence care for older people requiring long-term care.

Methods

The first four steps of Rodgers evolutionary method of concept analysis were followed. First, a comprehensive and systematic search of databases and key guidelines about continence care was undertaken to identify empirical research about dignity and continence care in older people in facilities that provide permanent residential or inpatient care of older people for day-to-day living. Data were extracted on the authors, date, sample, country of origin, and key definitions, attributes, contexts and consequences from each included record. Findings were inductively analysed and grouped according to whether they were the key attributes and antecedents of dignity in relation to continence care or the consequences of undignified continence care.

Results

Of 625 articles identified, 18 were included in the final analysis. Fifty individual attributes were identified that were categorised in 6 domains (respect, empathy, trust, privacy, autonomy and communication). A further 15 were identified that related to the environment (6 physical and 9 social). Key consequences of undignified continence care were also identified and categorised into 3 levels of impact (resident/family member, staff or organisation).

Conclusions

This research resulted in a conceptual understanding of dignity that can be used as a value or guiding principle in an ethic of care for older people who need assistance with toileting, incontinence or bladder or bowel care in long-term care settings.

Incontinence affects every aspect and stakeholder of an assisted living community

A total incontinence management program will benefit a community's administration, nurses, caregivers, families and most importantly, residents. An incontinence program helps reduce the risk of incidences such as agitation, urinary tract infection, falls and skin complications which assisted living and memory care communities are trying to prevent. The correct evaluation tools increase the likelihood of successful outcomes because the program has to be the right program for the resident. After evaluation of the level of incontinence, the resident can then be enrolled. This article provides a practical toolkit for assessment of a resident in assisted living general or memory care populations in addition to the different types of programs a resident can enroll into after evaluation completed.

The Prevalence, Incidence, and Correlates of Fecal Incontinence Among Older People Residing in Care Homes: A Systematic Review

OBJECTIVE

Older people resident in care homes often rely on staff for support relating to their activities of daily living, including intimate care such as continence care. Managing fecal incontinence can be challenging for both residents and care staff. We conducted this review to describe the prevalence, incidence, and correlates of fecal incontinence among care home residents.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Older care home residents (both nursing and residential care) aged 60 years and older.

MEASURES

We defined double incontinence as the presence of fecal plus urinary incontinence, isolated fecal incontinence as fecal incontinence with no urinary incontinence, and all fecal incontinence as anyone with fecal incontinence (whether isolated or double). The CINAHL and MEDLINE databases were searched up to December 31, 2017, to retrieve all studies reporting the prevalence and/or incidence and correlates of fecal incontinence.

RESULTS

We identified 278 citations after removing duplicates, and 23 articles met the inclusion criteria. There were 12 high-quality studies, 5 medium-quality studies, and 6 low-quality studies. The medians for prevalence (as reported by the studies) of isolated fecal incontinence, double incontinence, and all fecal incontinence were 3.5% [interquartile range (IQR) = 2.8%], 47.1% (IQR = 32.1%), and 42.8% (IQR = 21.1%), respectively. The most frequently reported correlates of fecal incontinence were cognitive impairment, limited functional capacity, urinary incontinence, reduced mobility, advanced age, and diarrhea.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS

Fecal incontinence is prevalent among older people living in care homes. Correlates included impaired ability to undertake activities of daily living, reduced mobility, laxative use, and altered stool consistency (eg, constipation or diarrhea) which are potentially amenable to interventions to improve fecal incontinence.

Supporting general hospital staff to provide dementia sensitive care: A realist evaluation

BACKGROUND

There are an increasing number of interventions to improve hospital care for patients with dementia. Evidence for their impact on staff actions and patient outcomes is, however, limited and context dependent.

OBJECTIVE

To explain the factors that support hospital staff to provide dementia sensitive care and with what outcomes for patients with dementia.

DESIGN

A realist evaluation using a two-site case study approach.

SETTING

Two hospital trusts in the East of England. Site 1 had a ward for patients with dementia that would address their medical and mental health needs. Site 2 used a team of healthcare assistants, who had support from dementia specialist nurses, to work with patients with dementia across the hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Hospital staff who had a responsibility for inpatients with dementia (healthcare assistants, nurses, medical staff, allied healthcare professionals and support staff) (n = 36), patients with dementia (n = 28), and family carers of patients with dementia (n = 2).

METHODS

A three stage realist evaluation: 1) building the programme theory of what works and when; 2) testing the programme theory through empirical data (80 h non-participant observation, 42 interviews, 28 patient medical notes, 27 neuropsychiatric inventory, and documentary review); 3) synthesis and verification of findings with key stakeholders.

FINDINGS

The programme theory comprised six interconnected context-mechanism-outcome configurations: 1) knowledge and authority to respond to an unmet need; 2) role relevant training and opportunities for reflection; 3) clinical experts and senior staff promoting practices that are patient-focused; 4) engaging with opportunities to spend time with patients; 5) risk management as an opportunity for person-centred care; 6) valuing dementia care as skilled work. Effective interactions reduced patient distress and supported patient orientation. Training and allocation of staff time were of themselves insufficient to ensure dementia care was prioritised and valued as skilled work. Staff concerns about the consequences of adverse incidents and work pressures on the ward, even with support, took precedence and influenced the quality of their interactions with patients with dementia. A key finding linked to staff retention and developing capacity in the workforce to provide expert dementia care was that despite extra training and organisational endorsement, nursing staff did not regard dementia care as skilled nursing work.

CONCLUSIONS

There is increased awareness and organisational commitment to dementia-friendly healthcare in general hospitals. However, in addition to training and adapting the environment to the patient, further work is needed to make explicit the specialist skills required for effective dementia care.