Conference Proceedings - School of Nursing & Midwifery - Trinity ...

School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin: 8 th Annual Interdisciplinary Research Conference
Transforming Healthcare Through Research, Education & Technology: 7 th – 9 th November 2007
Conference Proceedings
from respite care. Part of the difficulty implementing respite care is
the ambiguity surrounding the provision of the service with
researchers and policy makers having yet to identify what outcomes
are most appropriate for respite evaluations (Kosloski and
Montgomery, 1995). Too often, emphasis is placed on delaying
nursing home placement with enhancing carer and care recipient
wellbeing as merely a by product of this goal. With regard to the
provision of in-hospital respite care, benefits of the service may be
diminished if the needs, wishes and expectations of carers and care
recipients are not addressed.
Responding to the needs of older people and their carers
particularly with regard to providing opportunity for increased and
sustainable health gain is essential if respite care is to remain a
viable and important component of community care. This study
explored how in-hospital respite care contributed to benefit or lack
of benefit, depending on whether or not health promotional
opportunities during respite care were captured. It is imperative to
service quality that key issues important to patients and carers are
reflected in client-centred respite care services.
Aim of the Study
To explore nurses’ awareness of the needs of older people and their
carers and their desire for health promotional opportunities during
respite care.
Methodology
For the purpose of this study a qualitative descriptive design was
used using focus groups as a means of data collection. Nurses from
three care of the older person settings were invited to participate in
the study. Overall seventeen nurses participated. Purposive
sampling was utilised as this is the preferred method of sample
selection for many qualitative designs such as focus groups
(Macnee, 2004).
Analysis
The data was analysed using framework analysis by Ritchie and
Spencer (1994). There are five stages in the data analysis
framework process; Familiarisation; Identifying a thematic
framework; Indexing; Charting and Mapping and Interpretation of
key objectives. A chart was formed in Microsoft Word for themes
which emerged from the data, with each focus group entered on
each of the charts.
Summary of key Findings
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