Recommendations for an early warning system of acute deterioration in residential aged care
Thank you for your interest in the IRRAD (Identify, Report, and Respond to Acute Deterioration) project. You were sent a link to this website because your aged care facility received an invitation to be involved in this research. This page provides you with some background information about the project and details what your facility’s participation will involve.
Background
In this research project we are examining the views of care staff working in residential aged care and families of aged care residents about detecting and managing acute deterioration in residents.
Findings from this project will inform the development of an intervention to promote the early detection of acute deterioration that may improve health outcomes of residents in the future.
Why is this research important?
The transfer of a Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) resident to hospital places them at a higher risk of delirium and other adverse events, including medical errors, falls, pressure injuries and further deterioration. It has been estimated that 13-40% of hospital admissions involving an RACF resident could and should be avoided.
One way of avoiding unnecessary hospitalisations and the associated adverse effects is through detecting and acting quickly on the early warning signs of physical and psychological deterioration.
Research Team and Funding
This project is being conducted by a team of researchers from the Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology and has been funded by the Nursing and Midwifery Research Fellowship (NMRF). QUT Ethics Approval Number 2021000167.
What does my facility have to do?
If you would like your facility to be a part of this important research, the facility involvement will be to:
- nominate a liaison person that we can communicate with
- help the research team to promote participation in the study with your care staff and family/friends of residents – we will provide you with an email to forward to your staff and families and provide you with posters to stick up on noticeboards
- allow care staff to participate in a 1 hour online interview or a 1.5 hour online focus group at a mutually agreeable time
- provide a space for staff who want to participate in a focus group to gather at a mutually agreeable time
- provide us with basic information about your facility such as number of dementia beds and how residents access allied health
What do care staff have to do?
- Care staff can choose to participate in either a discussion group (1 hour) or a 1:1 interview (1 hour) both of which will take place online using Zoom. There is no need for the research team to come on-site.
- We would like to recruit a maximum of 10-15 nursing care staff (NP, RN, EN, AIN, PCW).
- We will conduct one group discussion for registered staff and one for unregistered staff. Interviews will be offered to participants who are not able to attend the scheduled focus group.
- Read draft participant information form for care staff [PDF] Note: This form will be tailored to your facility.
- To thank them for their time, each participant will receive a $50 voucher.
What do family/friends of a resident have to do?
- A family member or friend of a resident who visits that resident at least once a month can choose to participate in a 1:1 online interview (1 hour) from a location convenient to them (e.g. from their own home).
- We would like to recruit a family member or close friend for three residents.
- Read draft participant information form for family/friend of resident [PDF] Note: This form will be tailored to your facility.
- To thank them for their time, each participant will receive a $50 voucher.
Contact us
Please contact us if your facility is interested in participating or you would like more information.
Email: catherine.wyles@qut.edu.au
Phone: 07 3138 3852