Experiences of death and dying for staff in residential aged care and their support needs
Tracks
Ballroom 2
Education and Training
Employee Management
Residential
Wellness / Well Being
| Wednesday, November 13, 2024 |
| 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM |
Speaker
Dr Kaori Shimoinaba
Senior Lecturer
Monash University
Experiences of death and dying for staff in residential aged care and their support needs
Abstract
Background
Residential aged care (RAC) staff experience resident’s frailty, dying, and death. After forming a close relationship with residents and family, staff may experience grief following a resident’s death. Failure to recognise and support staff’s grief could negatively impact individuals and organisations.
The study aimed to examine staff experiences of death/dying and support needs, and co-design a grief support program.
Methods
Mixed method design: 1) online survey; 2) semi-structured interviews; 3) co-design meetings.
Participants were from any occupational roles in RAC.
Results
Survey participants were nurses, personal care workers [PCW], and allied healthcare professionals (n=58), with 62% (n=36) experienced five or more resident deaths within the last 12 months. Allied healthcare professionals experienced the most grief and indicated that their relationship with a resident was not recognised as a source of grief. PCWs indicated that their loss was not acknowledged following a resident’s death.
Interviews highlighted the importance of open communication about residents’ death and an opportunity to farewell residents and family. Suggested support for staff’s grief included: 1) education/training on palliative and dementia care, and 2) support to appropriately grieve and promote self-care.
Eight participants in two co-design meetings: nurses, PCWs, lifestyle coordinator, and manager. A support program would include training sessions about grief and self-care, and face-to-face group sessions with a facilitator to discuss residents’ death.
Conclusion
Staff’s grief in RAC must be recognised and supported. Education and support systems need to be implemented to maintain staff’s well-being and ensure quality care for residents and families.
Residential aged care (RAC) staff experience resident’s frailty, dying, and death. After forming a close relationship with residents and family, staff may experience grief following a resident’s death. Failure to recognise and support staff’s grief could negatively impact individuals and organisations.
The study aimed to examine staff experiences of death/dying and support needs, and co-design a grief support program.
Methods
Mixed method design: 1) online survey; 2) semi-structured interviews; 3) co-design meetings.
Participants were from any occupational roles in RAC.
Results
Survey participants were nurses, personal care workers [PCW], and allied healthcare professionals (n=58), with 62% (n=36) experienced five or more resident deaths within the last 12 months. Allied healthcare professionals experienced the most grief and indicated that their relationship with a resident was not recognised as a source of grief. PCWs indicated that their loss was not acknowledged following a resident’s death.
Interviews highlighted the importance of open communication about residents’ death and an opportunity to farewell residents and family. Suggested support for staff’s grief included: 1) education/training on palliative and dementia care, and 2) support to appropriately grieve and promote self-care.
Eight participants in two co-design meetings: nurses, PCWs, lifestyle coordinator, and manager. A support program would include training sessions about grief and self-care, and face-to-face group sessions with a facilitator to discuss residents’ death.
Conclusion
Staff’s grief in RAC must be recognised and supported. Education and support systems need to be implemented to maintain staff’s well-being and ensure quality care for residents and families.
Biography
Kaori is a Senior Lecturer at Monash University, School of Nursing and Midwifery. She teaches undergraduate nursing programs with communication and primary health care, postgraduate program with cultural competency, and supervises PhD students.
Kaori completed her PhD the topic of “Staff grief and support systems for Japanese health care professionals working in palliative care” and supported by NHMRC Postgraduate Public Health Scholarship and Japan Hospice Palliative Care Foundation.
Research interests include palliative and end-of-life care, aged care, healthcare professionals’ grief and support, loss and grief, resilience, death education and death literacy, cultural competency and cross-cultural nursing education. Kaori also holds a counselling qualification in grief and bereavement care.
Session Chair
Kate-Ellen Elliott
Adjunct Senior Researcher & Training Projects Coordinator
University Of Tasmania & IP Australia
