Home Nursing Care Strategies for Preventing Infection in the Bedridden Elderly at Home in Thailand
Creators: name: Nawasanan Wongprasit
name: Kanya Kesornphikun
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Risk Management, Infection, Home Visiting Nurse, the Bedridden Elderly, Elderly Caregiver.

description: Abstract

This mixed methods research, integrating both qualitative and quantitative approaches, is aimed at exploring condition in which home nursing care of the bedridden elderly and the related factors of nursing care activities, and identifying strategies for preventing infection in the bedridden elderly to recommend the policy strategies for managing the risk of infection in the bedridden elderly by the home visiting nurses in Thailand. The key informants for the qualitative research were 22 home visiting nurses and 22 caregivers of the bedridden elderly in Chachoengsao Province, totaling 44 people. The key informants were selected by using purposive sampling and snowball technique, and the data gathered were analyzed through content analysis. The sample of quantitative research consisted of 298 professional nurses who were working at the Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals and making home visits. Data were collected by using questionnaires. The research results were revealed that among the bedridden elderly receiving care at home, most of them were in the middle and late elderly and most had some kind of underlying or chronic diseases. The results of the overall analysis of infection prevention among caregivers were found that they practiced washing hands, disposing of used needles or equipment and infectious waste, and overall management of cloth, environment, and various items at a high level. When considering each item separately, it was found that the highest score was the management of infectious waste. The second highest level of their prevention practice was the management of clothes, environment, various items, and the use of personal protective equipment whereas disposal of needles or equipment used in nursing had the lowest average score. Based on this research results, it was suggested for policy strategies for preventing infection in the bedridden elderly by the home visiting nurses in two key components: firstly, determining the problem-solving guidelines and/or additional factors of infection in the bedridden elderly, and secondly, promoting all agencies for participative cooperation and continuous monitor results. The first component included: 1) There should be given knowledge and advice about the disease and prevention of complications in the bedridden elderly; 2) Organizing nursing practice, nursing plan, and nursing operations; 3) Providing materials and equipment for nursing care of the bedridden elderly; 4) Economic aspect by organizing vocational training activities to supplement the family's income including career building; 5) Reducing stress for relatives taking care for the bedridden elderly; 6) Raising awareness of infection prevention, organizing training, and giving knowledge and understanding about infection prevention; 7) Building morale and mental encouragement in nursing practice. The second component was the supporting that all agencies in the community should participate in joint implementation of care and continuously monitor results.