J Gerontol Nurs
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The deaths of nursing home residents can significantly affect staff members. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether work-related grief contributes to burnout and turnover in certified nursing assistants (CNAs). ⋯ Regression analyses revealed that complications from grief can contribute to burnout, whereas positive reactions to grief can protect CNAs from burnout. Grief was not found to be a significant predictor of turnover; however, grief may have a more complex, indirect influence on turnover than had been anticipated.
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The patient records of 160 older adults who died in a community hospital were reviewed to determine the use of advance directives and evaluate their effect on the care decisions made by health care providers. Findings confirmed that the use of advance directives has not changed during the past 15 years. ⋯ The presence of a living will seemed to influence health care providers' decisions to write do-not-resuscitate orders more often and to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation less often for patients possessing the document. Recommendations for future research include implementation and evaluation of educational initiatives for both health care consumers and health care providers.
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The goal of this pilot project was to evaluate the use of a self-report diary for assessing chronic pain in nursing home residents. Data collected 14 days prior to the use of the diary were compared with data collected 14 days after diary completion. ⋯ There was a statistically significant increase in the number of scheduled medications. Future research, using a randomized design and multiple sites, is needed to examine the effectiveness of self-reported pain diaries in assessing chronic pain in the communicative nursing home population.
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The purpose of this study was to describe the life situation of informal caregivers who regularly use respite services when caring for their older relative. The sample consisted of 17 wife and daughter caregivers who frequently relied on respite care to support coping at home. Data were analyzed by inductive content analysis. ⋯ In relationships focusing on organizing the daily routines, caregivers welcomed respite as a relief but experienced unexpected feelings of guilt. Those who felt imprisoned by the care recipient relied on respite to help them cope with a burdensome relationship, while waiting for their loved one's transfer into permanent institutional care. The results of the study challenge health care professionals to commit themselves to family-centered work, in which knowing the family's history and current life situation is key to providing high-quality services.