Priority nursing foci and interventions for older people in acute care settings

Abstract

Background: Priority nursing foci in acute care delivery to older patients are influenced by multiple factors, which may compromise care quality. Objectives: To describe nurses’ perception of the priority foci in the most frequent nursing interventions aimed at older inpatients in acute care settings, as well as to identify the association between priority nursing foci and other variables. Methodology: Exploratory, descriptive, correlational study using a non-random convenience sample of 124 nurses (♀=100, 80.6%; M= 29.8 years; SD=6.75). A questionnaire was used to assess nurses’ perception of self-care priorities, and the frequency and importance of nursing interventions. Results: The most important self-care priorities were self-grooming, self-dressing/undressing, and self-transferring. Significant differences were found between frequency and importance in the nursing interventions of attending (Z=-3.272; p=0.001) and informing (Z=-4.824; p=0.000). Significant negative correlations were found between self-grooming and nurses’ age (rs =-0,203; p= 0.032), length of service (rs =-0,194; p=0.041), and the number of nursing care hours per older patient week (rs =-0.257; p=0.007). Conclusion: Nurses’ initial and lifelong training, together with institutional strategies, should be based on a new paradigm.