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198
Chapter 5 Findings
mean, if they know or if they walk away or if they become agitated
you’ll know.”
(S13)
“A HCA is dressing a lady and asks her ‘would you like a scarf
on?’ The resident replies ‘no’.”
(Obs – Day 2: 10.30-12.30hrs)
“Further down the ward one HCA asks a lady if she would like to
lie down or sit in an armchair and adds ‘would you like to use the
bathroom or anything?’”
(Obs – Day 2: 13.30-15.30hrs)
It was observed that some staff did not offer residents choice or assess
them for what they may wish to do:
“Nurse and HCA say to each other ‘will we put x back into bed?’
‘Sure we might as well’ (Barthel 6). The resident wasn’t asked.”
(Obs – Day 1: 12.30-13.30hrs)
“The staff discuss what to do with one of the residents (Barthel 0).
‘Was she out yesterday?’ ‘We will get her out today.’ They do not
consult the resident. The nurse then goes to her and says ‘Good
morning x – how are you? Let’s get out of the bed, ok, and give you
a wash, ok.’”
(Obs – Day 2: 10.30-12.30hrs).
“Many of the residents were got out of bed and dressed nicely and
left sitting in chairs at their bedside. Very few were taken out of
their ward. Most were put back to bed shortly after dinner (1pm).
The residents were not consulted about this and they were the most
dependent residents so it is difficult to ascertain whether staff put
the residents back to bed based on their previous knowledge that
this is what the resident wished or whether they just did it out of
convenience and routine.”
(Obs – Day 1 Reflection)
Staff and resident participants expressed that the level of choice offered on a
daily basis was largely dependent on who was on duty and how busy they were:
“I find some are really good at it and then others it’s a ritual – you
always put the jumper on. Why don’t you ask them do they want to
put the jumper on? …he might get hot and I did see one day and he
was baking and he could have said ‘oh, I don’t need the jumper’.
Some don’t and some are very good.”
(H04)