None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
A multifaceted program (the Reducing the Use of Sedatives; RedUSe project) was implemented across 150 Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs). The RedUSe project consisted of educational sessions supported by auditing and benchmarking of sedative prescribing. There was also a sedative review component where pharmacists, nurses and doctors work together in consultation with the resident and/or relatives to review regularly used sedative medications (predominantly antipsychotics and benzodiazepines). We aimed to review the clinical outcomes of the residents and nursing home staff, and economic outcomes for the health care system resulting from this intervention. We hypothesised that reduced use of antipsychotics and/or benzodiazepines, as a result of this project, will: - Not negatively affect behavioural and psychological symptoms - Improve resident quality of life - Decrease the rate of resident falls - Increase activities of daily living - Decrease general practitioner visits - Decrease hospitalisations - Decrease caregiver burden - Increase the job satisfaction of nursing staff - Be associated with lower costs to the health care system than 'usual' practice. Nursing staff were interviewed with validated questionnaires to assess behavioural and psychological symptoms, social engagement, activities of daily living, and caregiver burden at the start and four months of RedUSe. Additionally, nursing staff were required to record the number of falls, challenging episodes, hospitalisations, and general practitioner consultations the residents had each month for the same four month period (a minor addendum to their existing recording activities). To asses job satisfaction, an anonymous survey was made available at the start and four months of RedUSe.
Interventions
The research project described is an independent evaluation of the clinical and economic outcomes of an intervention called the "Reducing the Use of Sedatives Project" (RedUSe). The clinical and economic outcomes were assessed between the baseline of the RedUSe project and four months after implementation of the intervention.
The RedUSe project consists of educational sessions supported by auditing and benchmarking of sedative prescribing. There is also a sedative review component where pharmaci
The research project described is an independent evaluation of the clinical and economic outcomes of an intervention called the "Reducing the Use of Sedatives Project" (RedUSe). The clinical and economic outcomes were assessed between the baseline of the RedUSe project and four months after implementation of the intervention. The RedUSe project consists of educational sessions supported by auditing and benchmarking of sedative prescribing. There is also a sedative review component where pharmacists, nurses and doctors work together in consultation with the resident and/or relatives to review regularly used sedative medications (predominantly benzodiazepines and antipsychotics). The educational component includes pharmacist-led sessions with nursing staff at the residential aged care facility at baseline and three months. Prescribers also receive academic detailing at these time points. Within these sessions, the health care providers receive the results of an electronic audit of antipsychotic and benzodiazepine prescribing that takes place at baseline, three and six months of the RedUSe project. Additionally, residents identified by the audit as receiving regularly charted antipsychotic and/or benzodiazepine medications receive a medication review performed by a nurse, pharmacist and their usual general practitioner at baseline and 3 months of RedUSe.
Sponsors
Juanita Westbury
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Residents: All of the following criteria need to be met for participation: • Residents must reside at RACFs included in the 2nd, South Australian, 3rd and 4th wave of the RedUSe project. • Residents must be taking psycholeptic medications (antipsychotics and/or benzodiazepines) at baseline. Staff: Includes RNs, ENs and carers at RACFs involved in the 2nd, South Australian, 3rd and 4th wave of the RedUSe project.
Exclusion criteria
• Residents who have a diagnosed severe mental health condition such as schizophrenia or bipolar disease. • Residents in respite care • Residents in final stages of a palliative illness.
Outcome results
None listed