A new role profile for nurses with expanded competencies promoting person-centered care in long-term care: a mixed-methods intervention development study.

BACKGROUND

The number of residents in nursing homes and the complexity of their care needs increase. A higher rate of nurses with higher qualification level is associated with a positive impact on patient outcomes such as quality of care, reduction of unplanned hospitalizations and emergency department use, and mortality. In Germany, defined role profiles for registered nurses with Bachelor's degree in long-term care are lacking and only few of these nurses work in direct resident care.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a new role profile for nurses with expanded competencies to improve care for residents with complex care needs in long-term care.

METHODS

Design: Mixed-methods intervention development study following the PEPPA framework (Participatory, evidence-based, patient-focused process for advanced practice nursing role development, implementation, and evaluation). We conducted sub-studies: 1. Three systematic literature reviews (on complex care needs, reasons for unplanned nursing home transfers to acute care, and context factors for decisions about transfers). 2. A multiple case study including five cases of nursing home residents to identify root-causes for unplanned transfers to acute care.

DATA COLLECTION

residents' chart reviews and semi structured interviews with residents (n = 3), family (n = 4), and care providers (n = 11).

DATA ANALYSIS

root-cause analysis with event flow diagrams and qualitative content analysis of interviews to identify fields of action for the role profile. 3. Two participatory stakeholder workshops (n = 18 participants) to develop and refine intervention components and implementation strategies.

RESULTS

The new role profile comprises four competence areas: 1. Managing chronic diseases; 2. Empowerment and communication; 3. Person-centered care network; and 4.

ORGANIZATION

Main implementation strategy enabling nurses to fulfil the role profile is a 300-h additional qualification program. Further strategies on the organizational level are shared goal setting and allowing for adaptability of the intervention by defining mandatory and optional intervention components.

CONCLUSIONS

The participatory intervention development approach resulted in a new role profile for nurses with Bachelor's degree focusing on direct resident care. Feasibility, perceived usefulness and potential clinical effects of the intervention will be tested in a pilot trial with a cluster-randomized design and process evaluation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Prospectively registered on August 20th, 2021 at the German registry for clinical trials (DRKS00025773).