Introduction: Nursing homes throughout the U.S. have faced unprecedented challenges in recent years because of staffing shortages, and under-investment, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. To gain insight into the current state of nursing homes, this study examined nursing home characteristics, quality, and accessibility from a national, regional and state perspective. Methods: This cross-sectional study used secondary data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, American Community Survey, Medicare Beneficiary, and the Tennessee Department of Health. Nursing home characteristics and quality were assessed through bivariate and multivariate regression in the U.S. Assessment of HHS Region 4 nursing home characteristics and quality by state cut points were conducted with bivariate analysis. Finally, spatial analysis was conducted to determine nursing home accessibility in Tennessee. Results: In multivariate analyses of all U.S. facilities, non-metropolitan facilities are at 1.27 higher odds of being a 1-star overall rated facility and 0.86 lower odds of being a 5-star facility as compared to metropolitan facilities. When weighted health inspection scores were recategorized by more strict state cut points, 42.45% of HHS Region 4 facilities decreased in health inspection star ratings, while those that were recategorized by more lenient state cut points lead to a 26.64% increase in star ratings. Finally, in the state of Tennessee a mean of 14.9% of county areas are not within 30-minute drive to any nursing home facilities, with 66.4% of county areas being further than a 30-minute drive to a 5-star rated (highest quality) facility. Discussion: Findings from this study show that differences exist in nursing home characteristics that relate to facility quality. Additionally, health inspection 5-star ratings can vary across states, which can make comparison of quality challenging from a consumer perspective. And finally, accessibility to nursing homes can vary throughout a state by metropolitan and non-metropolitan status of the county. An understanding of nursing homes in metropolitan and non-metropolitan communities along with nursing home quality, characteristics of the facility, and characteristics of county populations can enable policymakers to create more equitable policy solutions for nursing homes and the communities they serve.

Yes / In China there is a cultural expectation (Xiao, -filial piety) that offspring should provide care for their parents. However, the sustainability of this is threatened by the impact of the One-Child Policy (OCP) (1979-2015), which has resulted in a diminution in numbers of children available to care, rapid urbanisation and increase in the number of women in employment. In this context, the objective was to explore the motivations, meaning, and preparedness for future caregiving of offspring affected by the OCP. We adopted a constructivist position using a hermeneutic phenomenology approach and interviewed eight current and prospective caregivers aged 20-35 years about future caregiving responsibilities. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, analysed using reflective Thematic Analysis. Three prominent themes: (i) Caregiving beliefs, (ii) Caregiving conditions and (iii) Contextual factors were identified under an overarching theme "Competing pressures-meanings, motivation and preparedness". Despite the inherent stress, participants envisaged providing or organising care in the future to fulfil Xiao, and most viewed long-term care settings as unviable. Ultimately, the findings suggested that the actual performance of caregiving would not always measure up to ideal expectations, resulting in 'filial discrepancy' that is, a gap between societal expectations for caregiving to older relatives and actual caregiving performance. This could adversely impact the caregivers and quality of care provided. The findings highlighted the urgent need to develop culturally attuned services, including education and training for family caregivers, health and social care professionals. / This work was supported by Research England: Quality Related Global Challenge Research Fund; University of Bradford.

L'approche démocratique des CPE est reconnue pour favoriser les compétences sociales des enfants. Or, bien que les hommes ne représentent que 4 % du personnel éducateur, des études relatent que leurs approches diffèrent de celles des femmes, et que cette complémentarité peut contribuer au développement positif des enfants. La présente étude a pour objectifs: 1) d'évaluer le lien entre trois aspects des conduites éducatives démocratiques des éducateurs et des éducatrices (la qualité des consignes, le partage du contrôle et les échanges affectifs) et les compétences sociales des enfants; 2) vérifier s'il existe des différences entre les éducatrices et les éducateurs sur ces trois aspects des conduites éducatives. Les données ont été recueillies à partir de l'observation directe de 17 éducateurs et de 19 éducatrices en situation de jeu dyadique avec un garçon et une fille (62 observations au total). Les conduites éducatives sont évaluées à partir d'une grille de fréquence et les compétences sociales par le Profil Socio-Affectif (Dumas et coll., 1995).

Thesis (MCur (Nursing Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Every patient comes to a hospital with the expectation of getting quality care. It is not always within the ability of nursing personnel to give quality care in the work situation. Guided by the research question “What are the factors influencing the quality of nursing care in district hospitals in the West Coast Winelands Region of the Western Cape?” a scientific investigation was undertaken. The goal of this study was to identify the factors which influence the quality of nursing care in the eight (8) district hospitals of the West Coast Winelands Region of the Western Cape. The objectives set for the study were:  to determine whether staffing is adequate for all activities;  to evaluate what the perceptions of the nursing staff is about their current working situation;  to determine what the effect of the absence of full time doctors are on the management of patient care;  to evaluate whether adequate equipment is available for the execution of nursing care and to evaluate whether adequate provisions for the execution of nursing care is done. A descriptive non-experimental design with a quantitative approach was applied. The population for this study was all the nursing staff available at the time of data collection, working in the eight district hospitals of the West Coast Winelands Region. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The final sample of nursing staff was N= 280 of a total population of 340 – all the members were invited to participate. Reliability and validity were assured by means of a pilot study and the use of experts in nursing research, methodology and statistics. Data were collected personally by the researcher. Ethical approval was obtained from Stellenbosch University and various health authorities. Informed written consent was obtained from the participants. The data was analyzed with the support of the statistician; it was expressed in frequencies, tables and histograms. Comparisons between variables were made using either ANOVA (Analysis of variance) techniques or cross-tabulations with the Chi-square test. The 95% confidence interval was applied to determine whether there was an association between the various variables. The analysis shows that participants of the separate wards hospitals N=142 (90%) and the mixed wards type hospitals N=113 (95%) disagree that staff provision (numbers) is adequate. From the analysis it is clear that the patient documentation is not up to standard. A statistical significant correlation between hospital type and adequate time for the completion of written records (Chisquare Test p=0.00) was shown. Management N=13 (100%), registered nurses N=80 (86%), enrolled nurses N=63 (86%) and nursing assistants N= 81 (83%) disagree that it is not necessary to act beyond their scope of practice. The following recommendations were made: Safe staffing levels have to be determined; qualify staff with the necessary skills; where unit managers are still lacking, they have to be appointed; to make personnel development possible for staff; continuous auditing of patient documentation. It is necessary that there is always adequate equipment and consumables. More training is necessary for the effective and efficient implementation of the Batho Pele principles. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Elke pasiënt kom na ‘n hospitaal met die verwagting om kwaliteit verpleegsorg te ontvang. Dit is nie altyd binne die vermoë van die verpleegpersoneel om sodanige diens te kan lewer nie. “Watter faktore het ‘n invloed op die lewering van gehalteverpleegsorg in die distrikhospitale van die Weskus Wynlandstreek in die Wes Kaap? het die wetenskaplike ondersoek gelei. Die doel van die studie is om die faktore te identifiseer wat ‘n invloed het op die lewering van gehalteverpleegsorg in die ag (8) distrikhospitale van die Weskus Wynlandstreek in die Wes Kaap. Die doelwitte van die studie is:  om te bepaal of personeelvoorsiening voldoende is vir al die aktiwiteite;  om te evalueer wat die persepsies is van die verpleegpersoneel betreffende hulle huidige werksituasie,  om te bepaal watter effek die afwesigheid van voltydse geneeshere het op pasiënte sorg;  om te evalueer of toerusting voldoende is vir pasiënte sorg;  om te evalueer of daar voldoende voorsiening gemaak is vir die lewering van pasiënte sorg. ‘n Beskrywende, nie-eksperimentele ontwerp as metodologie is gebruik met ‘n kwantitatiewe benadering. Die bevolking betreffende die studie was alle verpleegpersoneel, werksaam tydens die insameling van die data in die ag distrikhospitale van die Weskus Wynlandstreek. ‘n Gestruktureerde vraelys was gebruik om die data te versamel. Die finale steekproef van die verpleegpersoneel was 280 uit die totale bevolking van 340. Betroubaarheid en geldigheid is verseker deur middel van ‘n loodstudie, en deur gebruik te maak van kenners betreffende verpleegnavorsing, metodologie en statistieke. Data is persoonlik deur die navorser ingesamel. Etiese goedkeuring was verkry vanaf die Universiteit van Stellenbosch en die verskeie gesondheidsowerhede. Ingeligde, skriftelike toestemming is van elke deelnemer verkry. Data is ontleed met die ondersteuning van die statistikus en is uitgedruk in die vorm van frekwensies, tabelle en histogramme. Vergelykings tussen die veranderlikes was gedoen deur gebruik te maak van ANOVA (analise met betrekking tot variansie) en kruis-tabulerings met die Chi-kwadraat toets. 95% Betroubaarheidsinterval is toegepas om te bepaal of daar ‘n assosiasie was tussen die onderskeie veranderlikes. Die analise het getoon dat deelnemers betreffende die hospitale met aparte afdelings N=142 (90%) en die gemengde sale hospitale N=113 (95%) verskil, betreffende die stelling dat daar voldoende personeelgetalle is. Dokumentasie is volgens die analise nie op standaard nie. ‘n Statistiese betekenisvolle korrelasie is verkry met betrekking tot die hospitaal tipe en voldoende tyd betreffende volledige geskrewe dokumentasie (Chi-kwadraat Toets p=0.00). Verpleegbestuur N=13 (100%), geregistreerde verpleegkundiges N=80 (86%), stafverpleegsters N=63 (86%) en verpleegassistente N=81 (83%) het verskil met die stelling dat dit nie nodig is om buite bestek van hul praktyk te werk nie. Die volgende aanbevelings is gemaak: die bepaling van veilige personeel vlakke moet gedoen word; voldoende personeel moet gekwalifiseer word met die nodige vaardighede. Eenheidsbestuurders moet aangestel word waar dit ontbreek; personeelontwikkeling moet moontlik wees en deurlopende oudits van dokumentasie moet plaasvind. Voldoende toerusting en voorraad is nodig om kwaliteit verpleegsorg moontlik te maak. Verdere opleiding in die beginsels van Batho Pele is nodig ten einde effektiewe en doeltreffende implementering daarvan moontlik te maak.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / Bronwyn S. Fees / Positive child outcomes are related to high quality child care environments as evidenced through longitudinal studies (Campbell, Ramey, Pungello, Sparling, & Miller-Johnson, 2002; The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [NICHD] Early Child Care Research Network, 2005; Schweinhart, Montie, Xiang, Barnett, Belfield, & Nores, 2005). These findings are important particularly for young children from low-income families. As these children are commonly the recipients of child care by a relative, high quality relative care is essential (U. S. Census Bureau, 2005; Brown-Lyons, Robertson, & Layzer, 2001; Collins & Carlson, 1998; Ehrle, Adams, & Tout, 2001). Prior research on the quality of care provided by relatives has been limited, inconsistent, and inconclusive due to differing methodological approaches. Previous studies have often grouped relative child care providers along with other home-based care settings; however, they are not the same. Previous studies have also employed a variety of measurement tools to assess quality. This study examined the overall quality of care in relative child care settings using a tool specifically designed for relative child care, comparing the quality of care and motivations for care between subsidized and non-subsidized settings. Overall, findings were consistent with results of previous studies on kith and kin or relative child care providers in that 1) a wide range of quality of care was observed among both subsidized and non-subsidized settings; 2) no differences were observed between quality in subsidized and non-subsidized; 3) no differences were observed between quality of care based on motivation for providing care. The majority of providers will provide care for family regardless of availability of payment; however, subsidized providers were more family-oriented in their motivation compared to non-subsidized who more child-oriented. While all levels of care were observed in both infant/toddler and preschool settings, infant/toddler settings scored higher on all adult-child interaction variables. These settings were also observed to be safer than preschool settings. Also subsidy status alone does not necessarily increase or affect quality of the care as payment is not the primary motivation for care. Policymakers should, therefore, explore other means by which to enhance quality such as equitable subsidy rates across home-based settings and support programs for this population.

Syftet med studien var att beskriva upplevelsen från vård- och återhämtningstiden hos patienter som vårdats på intensivvårdsavdelning. Metoden som används hade en kvalitativ ansats. Data samlades in via intervjuer med 11 patienter som vårdats på intensivvården från två sjukhus i Sverige. Materialet analyserades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultatet blev fyra kategorier och 14 subkategorier. Kategorin Känna trygghet bestod av subkategorierna: Bli väl omhändertagen i vården, Få information och Vikten av stöd. Kategorin Förlust av kontroll innefattade: Sakna vetskap och förståelse, Fragmenterade minnen från vårdtiden, Overklighetsupplevelser samt Känna rädsla, obehag och smärta. Kategorin Stärkas av egna resurser inkluderade subkategorierna: Vikten av positiv inställning, Hoppas och drivas av framsteg samt Bra fysiska förutsättningar och intressen som drivkraft. Kategorin Erfara förändring bestod av subkategorierna: Känna fysisk svaghet, Komplikationer som påverkar ens tillvaro, Vilja leva som tidigare och Tankar kring livet.  Slutsatsen var att god omvårdnad inkluderade patienters behov av att bli sedda, behandlade med omsorg samt minnas och förstå vad som sker. Förståelse bygger på information om den egna sjukdomsbilden, komplikationer och återhämtning. Dessa behov belyser vikten av att i omvårdnaden utgå från patienterna och att integrera dem i vården.   Som vårdpersonal bör vi sträva efter att stärka patienters känsla av sammanhang vilket förutsätter att de är väl insatta i sin sjukdom, vård och behandling samt konsekvenser av det de går igenom.  Personcentrering är viktigt för patienters känsla av sammanhang och därmed deras hälsa och livskvalité under och efter sjukhusvård. / The aim of this study was to describe the experience from the hospital stay and time of recovery in patients admitted to intensive-care unit. The method used had a qualitative approach. Data was collected through interviews with 11 patients who had received intensive-care from two hospitals in Sweden. Data was analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The result was four categories and 14 subcategories. The category To feel secure included the subcategories: Good patient care, Receive information and The importance of support. The category Loss of control comprised of the subcategories: Lacking knowledge and understanding, Fragmented memories of the hospital stay, Experiences of unreality and To feel fear, pain and discomfort. The category Strengthen by their own resources included the subcategories: Importance of positive attitude, To hope and be driven by success and also Good physical conditions and activities as the driving force. The category Experience changes contained the subcategories: Feel physical weakness, Complications that affects your life, Wish to live as before and Thoughts about life.  The conclusion was that good nursing care included patient’s needs to be seen, treated with care and remember and understand what was happening. Understanding was based on information about their own illness, complications and recovery. These needs highlights the importance of basing nursing care on the patient and to integrate them in their own care and treatment. Health professionals should strive to strengthen the patient’s sense of coherence which implies that they are well versed in their illness, care and treatment and consequences of what they are going through. Person-centering is important for the patient’s sense of coherence and thus their health and quality of life during and after hospitalization.

The relationship between Public Administration and the people is one that requires legitimacy and compromise in order to solve complex problems. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their families during the last fifty years have put forth an agenda that calls for the advancement of rights for the disabled and more integration into the larger society. In this arena, government, with post civil rights legislation like the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), plays a huge role in promoting social awareness and bringing down barriers of stigmatization, understanding, and access. This struggle is fought on many fronts. A significant part of the effort focuses on moving the locus of long-term care of the disabled, including the IDD population, from an institutional setting to the least restrictive setting that will foster social ties and integration. Since the early 1980s as part of this effort to deinstitutionalize the disabled, legislation at both the federal and state level has supported and incentivized the creation of Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) programs. HCBS waivers, as they are typically called, are also promoted as a means of containing government expenditures for long-term care. However, the effectiveness of these waivers is poorly understood. The critical questions being - Do HCBS waivers promote and create an environment that increases awareness of the needs of IDD individuals? Do the programs help reduce stigmatization, promote understanding, and increase access to services and activities that foster social interaction? Or, do HCBS waivers create a new "iron cage" where the intellectually or developmentally disabled are once again relegated to existing as second class citizens? In this research, programs are mapped and then evaluated to paint a better picture of how HCBS waivers change long-term care. / This research combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to triangulate on these phenoamea as a means to investigate when and how HCBS waiver programs facilitate, promote, or stifle the social integration of those with IDD. How does social integration manifest itself in the quality long-term care of those who often cannot take care of themselves? / by Enrique M. Perez. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

In order to improve the quality of care, there is urgent need to involve patients in their own healthcare. So to make patient centered health care system Personal Health Records are proposed as viable solution. This research discusses the importance of a Patient Centric Health Record system. Such systems can empower patients to participate in improving health care quality. It would also provide an economically viable solution to the need for better healthcare without escalating costs by avoiding duplication. The proposed system is Web-based; therefore it has high accessibility and availability. The cloud computing based architecture is used which will allow consumers to address the challenge of sharing medical data. PHR would provide a complete and accurate summary of the health and medical history of an individual by gathering data from many sources. This would make information accessible online to anyone who has the necessary electronic credentials to view the information. / by Vishesh Ved. / Thesis (M.S.C.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2010. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2010. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Trata-se de um estudo exploratório, descritivo de abordagem quantitativa, que teve por objetivo avaliar o processo de identificação do neonato admitido na unidade de terapia intensiva neonatal e semi-intensiva de um hospital privado no Município de São Paulo. A casuística compôs-se de 540 oportunidades de análise, selecionadas pela amostragem probabilística aleatória simples. A coleta de dados ocorreu no período de maio a agosto de 2010, por meio de um formulário, contendo as três etapas do processo de identificação: componentes de identificação, condições da pulseira e quantitativo de pulseiras. Os dados foram analisados em função da estatística descritiva, e sendo aplicado o teste estatístico com significância de 5%. No que diz respeito ao desempenho geral do processo, o percentual de conformidade foi de 82,2%. No que tange as três etapas integrantes do processo, o maior índice de conformidade (93%) foi atribuído a segunda etapa e o menor (89,3%) a terceira etapa, com diferença estatística significante (p=0,046). Em relação a primeira etapa, a presença do código de internação obteve (98,5%) de conformidade; na segunda,o melhor percentual (99,8%), foi atribuído à confecção correta da pulseira e na terceira, houve (88,5%) de conformidade para o grupo de neonatos em condições especiais, não apresentando diferença estatística significante p=0,895. Acredita-se que os achados deste estudo subsidiem as reestruturações necessárias no processo de identificação dos recém-nascidos e o estabelecimento de metas assistenciais e gerenciais, para a melhoria contínua da qualidade e da segurança dos pacientes. / This is an exploratory, descriptive study of quantitative approach, aiming to evaluate the identification procedure for newborns admitted to a neonatal intensive and semi-intensive care unit of a private hospital in the city of São Paulo. The sample consisted of 540 opportunities for analysis, selected by the simple random probability sampling. Data collection occurred between May and August 2010, using a form containing the three phases of the identification procedure: identification components, conditions of ID bracelet and quantitative of ID bracelets. Data were analyzed according to descriptive statistics and the statistical test was applied with a significance of 5%. Regarding performance of the general process, the percentage of compliance was 82.2%. Regarding the three phases of the process, the highest compliance rate (93%) was related to the second phase and the lowest (89.3%) to the third phase, with a statistically significant difference (p = 0.046). Regarding the first phase, the presence of a hospitalization code obtained (98.5%) of compliance, in the second, the best percentage (99.8%) was attributed to correct manufacturing of the ID bracelet and third, with (88, 5%) of compliance for the group of newborns under special conditions, showing no statistically significant difference p = 0.895. It is believed that the findings of this study will subsidize the necessary reorganization of newborn identification procedure and establishment of assistance and management of goals for the constant improvement of quality and patient safety.

Background: A global cervical cancer health disparity persists despite the demonstrated success of primary and secondary preventive strategies, such as cervical visual inspection (VI). Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer incidence and death for women in many low resource areas. The greatest risk is for those who are unable or unwilling to access screening. Barriers include healthcare personnel shortages, cost, transportation, and mistrust of healthcare providers and systems. Using community health workers (CHWs) may overcome these barriers, increase facilitators, and improve participation in screening for women in remote areas with limited access to clinical resources. Aim: To determine whether the accuracy of VI performed by CHWs was comparable to VI by physicians or nurses and to consider the affect components of provider training had on VI accuracy. Methods: A systematic review and quantitative meta-analysis of published literature reporting on VI accuracy, provider type, and training was conducted. Strict inclusion/exclusion criteria, study quality, and publication bias assessments improved rigor and bivariate linear mixed modeling (BLMM) was used to determine the affect of predictors on accuracy. Unconditional and conditional BLMMs, controlling for VI technique, provider type, community, clinical setting, HIV status, and gynecological symptoms were considered. Results: Provider type was a significant predictor of sensitivity (p=.048) in the unconditional VI model. VI performed by CHWs was 15% more sensitive than physicians (p=.014). Provider type was not a significant predictor of accuracy in any other models. Didactic and mentored hours predicted sensitivity in both BLMMs. Quality assurance and use of a training manual predicted specificity in unconditional BLMMs, but was not significant in conditional models. Number of training days, with ≤5 being optimal, predicted sensitivity in both BLMMs and specificity in the unconditional model. Conclusion: Study results suggest that community based cervical cancer screening with VI conducted by CHWs can be as, if not more, accurate than VI performed by licensed providers. Locally based screening programs could increase access to screening for women in remote areas. Collaborative partnerships in “pragmatic solidarity” between healthcare systems, CHWs, and the community could promote participation in screening resulting in decreased cervical cancer incidence and mortality. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection