Original scientific paper
Nursing Staffs’ Views on Physical and Psychosocial Care Provision in Slovenian Nursing Homes
Ana Habjanič
; University of Maribor Faculty of Health Sciences Zitna ulica 15 SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia
Satu Elo
; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Dusanka Mičetić-Turk
; University of Maribor Faculty of Medicine Maribor Country Slovenia
Arja Isola
; Faculty of Medicine, Department of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore nursing staffs’ perceptions of the physical and psychological care needs of elderly residents, their views on the relative importance of these needs and their perceived ability to meet them. The literature reveals that the quality of elder care in nursing homes should comprise both physical and psychosocial care. Despite this, the nursing staffs’ perceptions of the physical and psychosocial care provision have not often been researched. As a method cross-sectional research design was used, with structured questionnaires and unstructured interviews. Our sample consisted of members of the nursing staff from four nursing homes inSlovenia(survey: n=148; interview: n=16). The resulting data was processed by means of statistical analysis and conventional content analysis. The nursing staff reported more knowledge of, skills with and willingness to meet residents’ physical needs than psychosocial needs. On the other hand, communication, conversation, self-care and a home-like environment were considered by nursing staff as marking quality elder care. Consequently, nursing home administrators should try to strengthen psychosocial care provision to improve the residents’ quality of life. Conversation, as the most often recognised aspect of psychosocial care, should be promoted, since improvements in this area would not be costly, and each nursing staff member may decide individually how best to include more conversation in the daily routines of elder care provision.
Keywords
nursing home; nursing staff; physical care; psychosocial care; quality
Hrčak ID:
166422
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2015.
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