This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 1074840709339781v1 15/3/360    most recent References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Austin, W. Articles by Vass, K. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Austin, W. Articles by Vass, K. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Family Issues Health Literacy Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Supporting Relationships Between Family and Staff in Continuing Care Settings

University of Alberta, Edmonton, wendy.austin{at}ualberta.ca

Erika Goble, MA

University of Alberta, Edmonton

Vicki Strang, RN, PhD

University of Alberta, Edmonton

Agnes Mitchell, RN, MN, GNC(C)

Grant MacEwan College, Edmonton, Alberta

Elizabeth Thompson, BScN, RN

Capital Care Lynnwood, Edmonton, Alberta

Helen Lantz, MHSA

Victoria, British Columbia

Linda Balt, RN, BScN

Alberta Health Services, Edmonton, Alberta

Gillian Lemermeyer, RN, MN

University of Alberta, Edmonton

Kelly Vass

University of Alberta, Edmonton

In this Canadian study, a participatory action research approach was used to examine the relationships between families of residents of traditional continuing care facilities and the health care team. The objectives were to (a) explore the formation and maintenance of family—staff relationships, with attention paid to the relational elements of engagement and mutual respect; (b) explore family and staff perspectives of environmental supports and constraints; and (c) identify practical ways to support and enhance these relationships. Results indicate that the resource-constrained context of continuing care has directly impacted family and staff relationships. The nature of these relationships are discussed using the themes of "Everybody Knows Your Name," "Loss and Laundry," "It's the Little Things That Count," and "The Chasm of Us Versus Them." Families' and staff's ideas of behaviors that support or undermine relationships are identified, as are concrete suggestions for improving family— staff relationships in traditional continuing care settings in Canada.

Key Words: continuing care • family—staff relationships • ethics • Canada

This version was published on August 1, 2009

Journal of Family Nursing, Vol. 15, No. 3, 360-383 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1074840709339781


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?