Recognizing and responding to deterioration in care homes: a scoping review protocol

JBI Evid Synth. 2021 Feb;19(2):447-453. doi: 10.11124/JBISRIR-D-19-00413.

Abstract

Objective: To identify the available published primary research and any relevant policies, guidelines, or protocols regarding how care home staff recognize and respond to an acutely deteriorating resident.

Introduction: Older people living in care homes have complex health care needs. Chronic illnesses, comorbidities, frailty, cognitive impairment, and physical dependency can contribute to unpredictable changes in their health status that can lead to residents becoming unwell and acutely deteriorating. Exploring how care home staff recognize and respond to acutely deteriorating health among residents is important to understand whether opportunities exist to minimize these unpredictable changes in health.

Inclusion criteria: This scoping review will consider studies that feature the recognition and response to acute deterioration in care home residents. This review will consider qualitative and quantitative primary research. Non-indexed and gray literature such as policies, deterioration tools, and reports from health policy organizations will also be included.

Methods: The searches will be conducted using bibliographic databases, university repositories, and non-indexed and gray literature, such as reports by health care and health policy organizations. The studies will be independently selected from the inclusion criteria by two researchers based on their title and abstract. In case of disagreement, a third researcher will be consulted. An adapted version of the JBI data extraction form will be used to extrapolate data from included studies. The results will be presented in tabular form, accompanied by a narrative summary related to the objectives of the scoping review.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Delivery of Health Care*
  • Frailty*
  • Humans
  • Review Literature as Topic