| These
evidence-based best practice statements are a resource
for nurses who work with older people all or some of
the time in general, acute services: to support and
guide their own practice, and to help them explain to
others what best care for older people involves. They
have been put together by a team from City University
London, led by Dr
Jackie Bridges.
These
best practice statements are based on the findings from
a systematic
review aimed at finding out about the acute care
experiences of older people and relatives1,
and on reviews of effective nursing interventions. They
update the 2001 Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory
Committee (SNMAC) evidence-based principles, standards
and indicators for nursing care of older people in the
acute phase of illness2, published
at the same time as the National Service Framework for
Older People. The project to update the SNMAC guidance
arose from a recognition that guidance was needed that
was relevant to the needs of older people as this population
and its expectations of care change.
The
key finding from the systematic review of patients’
and relatives’ experiences is the value that they
place on the relational rather than the technical aspects
of care, and the important role that acute care staff,
including nurses, have in:
Maintaining
identity: “see who I am”
Patients
want to staff to know what is important to them, and
relatives want staff to value what they know about
the patient.
Creating
community: “connect with me”
A
connected and two-way relationship with staff gives
patients and relatives the reassurance that staff
will care for them and meet their needs.
Sharing
decision-making: “involve me”
Patients
and relatives want to understand what is happening,
and to be given ongoing involvement in decision-making.
These
findings have underpinned the guidance developed.
The
guidance comes in the form of a CD
and a booklet.
The best practice statements are set out in full on
the CD, along with links to videos of patient stories
and to other resources. The booklet includes ideas for
individual nurses and nursing teams to work with the
best practice statements to identify existing good practice
and to articulate the support they need to maintain
and build on this.
References
- Bridges
J, Flatley M, Meyer J. Older people's and relatives'
experiences in acute care settings: systematic review
and synthesis of qualitative studies. International
Journal of Nursing Studies 2009; [In press] DOI 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2009.09.009.
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/ns
- Standing
Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee. Practice
guidance: principles standards and indicators. 2001.
London, Department of Health. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/
PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/
DH_4007586
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