Assaultive behavior in nursing homes between residents and nursing staf

This research studied the incidence of assaultive behavior of residents and nursing staff in nursing homes. Federal regulations have mandated facilities to provide training programs for nurse aides through preservice and inservice education to ensure adequacy of the caregiver's nursing care skills. Nurse aides, who give 90% of the direct patient care, lack the necessary training and skills required to give safe, adequate nursing care.;This study attempted to determine what factors affected changes in the numbers of assaults on nursing home residents and staff. Instruments developed for this study were: Training Needs Assessment Questionnaire for Ward Head Nurse or Charge Nurse, Training Needs Assessment Questionnaire for Ward Nursing Staff, and Incident Report Data Collection Sheet.;A nonexperimental, descriptive research design incorporating survey research and historical data collection methodologies was used in this study. The population studied consisted of nursing home supervisors and nursing home ward staff who provided direct patient care to residents at five selected nursing homes in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. A total of 67 supervisors and 197 ward staff participated in this study.;Findings of the study showed that nursing home staff members had received training in handling assaultive residents. Findings also provided evidence that the self-reported job satisfaction of the nursing home staff did not differ based on previous involvement in assaultive incidents with residents. Historical records were examined to determine types and numbers of reported assaultive incidents between nursing home residents and staff members; a total of 110 incidents were reported. Compared to the total number of nursing home staff members who reported they had been involved in these types of incidents, it appears there is underreporting in the five nursing homes. No trends were developed that provided evidence that the number of assaultive incidents in nursing homes decreased since the introduction of OBRA.;Conclusions drawn from these findings include: the need for a better reporting system of resident assaultive incidents that cause injury; staff members are not reporting all incidents involving patient assaults upon them; and, nursing home staff need more inservice in physical and behavioral management of assaultive residents.