AN EVALUATION OF THE RESPONSE TO POOLE’S ALGORITHM EDUCATION PROGRAMME BY AGED CARE FACILITY STAFF

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the response of residential aged care facility staff to the education programme - Poole’s Algorithm: Nursing management of disturbed behaviour in aged care facilities.

Design: Descriptive study, aged care setting.

Method: Following offers to all facilities in a large area health service, 104 senior staff took the opportunity to participate in train-the-trainer programs and then returned pre and post knowledge evaluation questionnaires for 190 of their own staff that they had trained, using the program, over a three month period. Thirty six of those trainers then shared their views of the usability and effectiveness of the program in focus group interviews.

Results: The questionnaire analysis showed statistically significant improvements in overall knowledge for the trainers with 19.2% correct answers pre education and 91.3% correct afterwards, a difference of 71.1%. Overall, the staff trained by the trainers improved from 12.6% correct to 59.5% post education, a difference of 46.8%. In particular, the trainers’ recognition of delirium as a cause for disturbed behaviour improved from 39.4% to 97.15% and the staff from 24.7% to 75.2%.

Conclusions: Concern was raised about the poor understanding of mental health problems such as personality and anxiety disorders. Analysis and coding of the focus group transcriptions showed improvements in attitudes and practice. Recommendations are made for the instigation of ongoing train-the-trainer sessions using this program and the replication of this study in the acute and community sectors.