Barriers to the management of Heart Failure in Ontario Long-Term Care Homes: an Interprofessional Care perspective

Authors

  • Ian Joseph Newhouse School of Kinesiology/Centre for Education and Research in Aging and Health, Lakehead University
  • George Heckman Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo
  • Darlene Harrison Centre for Education and Research in Aging and Health, Lakehead University
  • Teresa D'Elia Department of Health Studies and Gerontology, University of Waterloo
  • Sharon Kaasalainen School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
  • Patricia H Strachan School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University
  • Catherine Demers Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, McMaster University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22230/jripe.2012v2n3a90

Keywords:

Long-term care, Interprofessional barriers, Heart failure

Abstract

Background: With population aging, the prevalence of heart failure (HF) is risingin long-term care (LTC) homes. Given this burden, there is an urgent need to establish effective HF management programs.

Methods and Findings: To understand what barriers would need to be addressed to develop such a program, we conducted a series of consultations among various LTC staff, as well as residents and their family caregivers. This article uses data obtained from the consultations to describe the interprofessional (IP) barriers that exist among the various LTC staff roles. Consultation methods included a Delphi survey followed by focus group interviews of LTC staff, and then personal interviews with LTC residents with HF and their family caregivers. Data were interpreted using an IP care framework in which interpersonal relationships among LTC staff provide the most direct influence on collaborative resident-centred practice, within the broader context of conditions within the LTC home, which in turn are housed in the broader context of systemic determinants.

Conclusion: Across all data sets, the most consistently mentioned determinant was communication between the resident and the healthcare team, between different healthcare providers, between shifts, between medical specialists, and between the long-term care home and the hospital.

Author Biography

Ian Joseph Newhouse, School of Kinesiology/Centre for Education and Research in Aging and Health, Lakehead University

Ian Newhouse, BPE, MSc, Ph.D. is a Professor in the School of Kinesiology where his principal teaching and research interests are in the area of exercise physiology. In particular, Ian has done research in mineral metabolism and the effects of supplementation (i.e. iron and magnesium) on human performance and health. In more recent years Ian has focused his energies on interprofessional education and care. This has been a natural extension of serving as Dean of the Faculty of Professional Schools (Social Work, Nursing, Kinesiology, Gerontology, Public Health, and Outdoor Recreation Parks and Tourism) from 2001-2008.


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Published

2012-08-29

Issue

Section

Articles: Empirical Research