School of Nursing and Midwifery and Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Menzies Research Institute, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
Int Psychogeriatr. 2009 Apr;21 Suppl 1:S64-8. doi: 10.1017/S1041610209008679. Epub 2009 Mar 17.
There is growing evidence that a palliative approach to care provision for people with dementia in residential aged care facilities improves their quality of life and provides support for family members. Despite the development of Guidelines for a Palliative Approach in Residential Aged Care (hereafter the Guidelines), there is limited evidence that these have been adopted. To date, little research has been undertaken to explore processes which could assist aged care staff to develop their practice consistent with the intent of the Guidelines.
This project utilized an action research method, through which staff members from a residential dementia special care unit (SCU) undertook an investigation into their practice to explore how they could develop strategies to support a palliative approach to care provision. A key focus was related to addressing the information needs of family members of residents on the SCU.
Aged care staff involved in this project had little understanding of available evidence that could assist them to better support family members, including the existence of the Guidelines. Through their engagement in successive action research cycles, these staff accessed evidence-based resources and developed strategies to address the information needs of family members.
When provided with an opportunity to reflect on and critique their practice, aged care staff were better positioned to engage with evidence concerning a palliative approach and to execute change in their practice to improve care provision for family members.
越来越多的证据表明，在养老院中为痴呆症患者提供姑息治疗方法可以提高他们的生活质量，并为家庭成员提供支持。尽管制定了《养老院姑息治疗指南》（以下简称《指南》），但这些指南的采用情况仍有限。迄今为止，很少有研究探讨可以帮助养老院工作人员发展实践的过程，使其符合《指南》的意图。
本项目采用行动研究方法，通过该方法，来自养老院特殊护理单位（SCU）的工作人员对他们的实践进行了调查，以探讨如何制定策略来支持姑息治疗方法提供护理。一个重点是解决 SCU 居民家属的信息需求。
参与该项目的养老院工作人员对可以帮助他们更好地支持家属的现有证据（包括《指南》的存在）了解甚少。通过参与连续的行动研究循环，这些工作人员获得了基于证据的资源，并制定了满足家属信息需求的策略。
当为养老院工作人员提供反思和批评实践的机会时，他们能够更好地接触到姑息治疗方法的证据，并在实践中进行变革，以改善对家属的护理提供。
