Cognitive impairment is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes in hospitalised older people with an unscheduled admission, by increasing hospital mortality, extending hospital stays and increasing frequency of readmissions.

Authors: Carole Fogg, Paul Meredith, David Culliford, Jackie Bridges, Peter Griffiths - August 2019

Background

Older adults admitted to hospital are often cognitively impaired. It is not clear whether the presence of cognitive impairment conveys an additional risk for poor hospital outcomes in this patient population.

Patient involvement in pressure ulcer prevention and adherence to prevention strategies: An integrative review

There is limited research that focuses on the patient view of factors affecting adherence to prevention measures, particularly in community settings. Individual and daily lifestyle considerations and involvement in decision-making around pressure ulcer care are important aspects from the patient perspective. Further research is necessary to explore which factors affect patient adherence in order to improve clinical practice and support patient involvement in preventative strategies.

Jo Hope, Lisette Schoonhoven - October 23 2019

Older people's experiences in acute care settings: systematic review and synthesis of qualitative studies

Jackie Bridges, Joanna Hope - November 8 2019

Background

Older people's care experiences in hospital may be negative in the absence of relational work by nurses to maintain people's identity, establish caring connections and ensure that individual patient needs, preferences and values are honoured in the care that is delivered. Relational care by nurses can mediate powerful institutional drivers that may otherwise result in negative experiences and poor care.

The influence of personal communities in understanding avoidable emergency department attendance: qualitative study

Gemma McKenna, Anne Rogers, Sandra Walker & Catherine Pope – September 2020

Background

Use of emergency department (ED) care globally seems to be increasing at a faster rate than population growth. In the UK there has been a reported 16% rise in emergency admissions over the past 5 years. Estimates that between 11 and 40% of ED attendances are non-urgent, with 11% of patients being discharged from the ED without treatment (NHS Digital 2017), and a further 44% require no follow-up treatment …….

The association between ward staffing levels, mortality and hospital readmission in older hospitalised adults, according to presence of cognitive impairment: a retrospective cohort study

Carole Fogg, Jackie Bridges, Paul Meredith, Claire Spice, Linda Field, David Culliford, Peter Griffiths – September 2020

Background

Lower nurse staffing levels are associated with increased hospital mortality. Older patients with cognitive impairments (CI) have higher mortality rates than similar patients without CI and may be additionally vulnerable to low staffing.

Supporting patient access to medicines in community palliative care: on-line survey of health professionals’ practice, perceived effectiveness and influencing factors

Sue Latter, Natasha Campling, Jacqueline Birtwistle, Alison Richardson, Michael I. Bennett, Sean Ewings, David Meads & Miriam Santer – September 2020

Background

Patient access to medicines at home during the last year of life is critical for symptom control, but is thought to be problematic. Little is known about healthcare professionals’ practices in supporting timely medicines access and what influences their effectiveness. The purpose of the study was to evaluate health professionals’ medicines access practices, perceived effectiveness and influencing factors.

How long do nursing staff take to measure and record patients’ vital signs observations in hospital? A time-and-motion study 

Chiara Dall'ora, Peter Griffiths, Joanna Hope, Jim Briggs, Jeremy Jones, Stephen Gerry & Oliver C Redfern (June 2021)

Ward staffing guided by a patient classification system: A multi-criteria analysis of “fit” in three acute hospitals

Christina Saville PhD, Peter Griffiths PhD, RN (Published 8 May 2021)

Aims

To assess how well the Safer Nursing Care Tool (SNCT) predicts staffing requirements on hospital wards, and to use professional judgement to generate hypotheses about factors associated with a “poor fit”.