Honoring preferences is a significant facet of person-centered care (PCC). However, nursing home (NH) staff perceptions of the risks that residents’ preferences may have on resident safety and health can create a barrier to delivering PCC. This study utilized an innovative sequential focus group methodology to gain insight into staff perceptions of honoring risky preferences. Results indicated that pervasive, risk-avoiding attitudes are present throughout the organization, during care, and when attempting to honor resident preferences. “Risk-phobic” attitudes, apparent at all levels within NHs as well as written into organizational policies, may impede the delivery of PCC. The authors suggest that these attitudes can be mitigated by improving staff sense of agency while supporting appropriate risk-taking for residents, which can promote more PCC.  

Publication available online, subscription may be required.

https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article-abstract/60/8/1424/5881440

Funder(s)

research_publication_funder

Citation
research_publication_citation

Team Members as Authors

Members of the the PELI Team who contributed to this publication.

Liza Behrens, Ph.D, RN

Avatar for Dennis Cheatham

Dennis Cheatham

Communication Director

Assistant Professor, Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing, Penn State University

Liza Behrens, Ph.D, RN

Ann Kolanowski, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN

Avatar for Dennis Cheatham

Dennis Cheatham

Communication Director

Professor Emerita of Nursing, College of Nursing

Professor Emerita of Psychiatry, Penn State Hershey College of Medicine

Ann Kolanowski, PhD, RN, FGSA, FAAN

Caroline Madrigal, Ph.D, RN

Avatar for Dennis Cheatham

Dennis Cheatham

Communication Director

Advanced Fellow in Health Services Research, US Department of Veterans Affairs

Caroline Madrigal, Ph.D, RN

Katherine Abbott, Ph.D, MGS

Avatar for Dennis Cheatham

Dennis Cheatham

Communication Director

Executive Director; Scripps Gerontology Center

Professor of Gerontology; Miami University

Katherine Abbott, Ph.D, MGS

Kimberly VanHaitsma, Ph.D., FGSA

Avatar for Dennis Cheatham

Dennis Cheatham

Communication Director

Professor, Penn State Ross and Carol Nese College of Nursing
Director, Program for Person-Centered Living Systems of Care

Kimberly VanHaitsma, Ph.D., FGSA