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Learning, support and communication for staff in care homes: outcomes of reflective debriefing groups in two care homes to enhance end‐of‐life care
Author(s) -
Hockley Jo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
international journal of older people nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.707
H-Index - 29
eISSN - 1748-3743
pISSN - 1748-3735
DOI - 10.1111/opn.12048
Subject(s) - debriefing , nursing , end of life care , palliative care , exploratory research , psychology , medicine , advance care planning , medical education , sociology , anthropology
Background Nursing care homes are increasingly the place where frail older people die. However, training in end‐of‐life care is not statutory. Aims and objectives To develop strategies to promote quality end‐of‐life care in nursing care homes. Design Action research was used to work collaboratively with the managers and staff in two nursing care homes to develop end‐of‐life care. Methods There were three overarching phases: an exploratory phase, feedback/planning of actions and a summative evaluation. Two main actions were inductively derived. One of the actions, reflective debriefing groups following a resident's death, is reported. Results Ten reflective debriefing groups, led by the researcher (a specialist palliative care nurse), were undertaken. The groups facilitated learning at three different levels (being taught, developing understanding and critical thinking) and enabled staff to feel supported and valued. Implications for practice The use of reflective debriefing groups is a useful mechanism to support experience‐based learning about death/dying in care homes.