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Chapter 2: Literature Review
practitioners need to reflect upon their values and beliefs, review their knowledge
base, and review their practice.
Hunter and Levett-Jones (2010) examined the role of the nurse in residential care.
Adopting a mixed-method research design, questionnaires, document analysis and
semi-structured interviews were used to elicit the role of the gerontological nurse
from nurses (n=48) and nurse managers (n=16). Their aim was to provide a
contemporary description of the practice of nurses caring for older people in
residential care. Six residential care facilities were purposively selected and all had
government accreditation. Two rural, two regional and two metropolitan facilities
were included in the sample, some of which were for-profit and some which were
not. Eighty-six questionnaires were distributed to nurses and 21 to nurse managers,
and the response rates were 56% and 76% respectively. Twenty-one nurses and 11
nurse managers consented to being interviewed post-analysis of the questionnaires.
The findings confirmed that the role of the nurse in residential care has expanded and
the practices of the nurses in this study were consistent with current descriptions of
gerontological nursing skills, which include listening, negotiating, enabling
opportunities and choice, and enabling decision-making (McCormack, 2001; Ford
and McCormack, 2000; Australian Nursing Board, 1997; RCN, 1997). While this
study was only conducted in one state in Australia, it is a recent study and its
methodological design enabled a detailed description of practice.
Further to the individual nurse’s role in residential care, the quality of care and
quality of life for residents has also been researched and discussed.
2.3.4 Quality of Care and Quality of Life
Many studies have sought to evaluate quality of care and quality of life in residential
care for older people (Cooney, 2010; Dwyer, Nordenfeldt and Ternestedt, 2008;
Murphy, 2007; Murphy et al., 2007; Pearson et al., 1993). These studies have
identified various approaches to residential care that impact upon quality. These
include the skill mix provided, the creation of an atmosphere with a sense of
belonging, enabling older people to retain their social connections and relationships,
providing activities, involving the family and creating a homely physical
environment.