Workshop on hastened death as "space for an appreciative discussion": A qualitative study.

Aim: To evaluate the suitability of a drama-based workshop as a method for ethical deliberation.

Background: Nurses worldwide are inadequately prepared to care for people who desire hastened death, which can lead to ethical and moral dilemmas. To address this problem, we developed a drama-based ethical deliberation workshop to assist nurses in these situations.

Evaluation of an intervention to improve the safety of medication therapy via HIT-supported interprofessional cooperation in long-term care - a mixed method study.

Background: In order to ensure the provision of appropriate and safe medication therapy in long-term care, close interprofessional cooperation and high levels of expertise are required. Online digital documentation and communication technology facilitate this process. The aim of the present study (sub-study 2 of the SiMbA-Study) was to evaluate a three-part health information technology (HIT) driven intervention on medication therapy safety in Austrian nursing homes (NHs) regarding its usefulness, practicability and implementation in routine care.

Improving medication appropriateness in nursing homes via structured interprofessional medication-review supported by health information technology: a non-randomized controlled study.

Background: In nursing home residents (NHRs), polypharmacy is widespread, accompanied by elevated risks of medication related complications. Managing medication in NHRs is a priority, but prone to several challenges, including interprofessional cooperation. Against this background, we implemented and tested an interprofessional intervention aimed to improve medication appropriateness for NHRs.

Pain treatment for nursing home residents differs according to cognitive state - a cross-sectional study.

Background: Communication skills are known to decrease with advancing cognitive impairment. Analgesic treatment in long-term care may be deficient due to the residents' impaired ability to communicate their pain and needs. Undertreated pain frequently leads to rising BPSD in residents with cognitive impairment, resulting in a treatment with antipsychotics.

Polypharmacy, potentially inappropriate medication and cognitive status in Austrian nursing home residents: results from the OSiA study.

There is little research investigating polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medications (PIM) in connection with cognitive status in residents of Austrian nursing homes. Our findings result from a cross-sectional survey of 425 residents (315 women, 110 men, mean 83.6 years) from 12 Austrian nursing homes.

Fitness training for the old and frail. Effectiveness and impact on daily life coping and self-care abilities.

Background: Limitations of functionality and mobility due to age-related decrease in muscle strength, balance and physical endurance are closely related to weakness, risk of falls, malnutrition as well as an increase in morbidity and mortality.

Study Participants And Methods: In a pilot study we developed and evaluated an 8-week equipment-based progressive resistance training program for geriatric day hospital patients (> 65 years) to improve strength, endurance and coordination. Of the 38 patients who entered the study, 20 were randomly assigned to the intervention group (ALFIT training) and 18 to the control group who only participated in the routine program of the day hospital.

[Risk for dysphagia screening tools - a review of the international literature].

Elderly people have an increased risk to suffer from dysphagia due to age-related physiological alterations and neurological disorders. The consequences of untreated dysphagia are malnutrition and dehydration and the aspiration of solid and liquid food into the respiratory tract, which can lead to life-threatening pneumonia. On this background the care of the elderly people in nursing homes is a challenge for nurses.

[Comment about the policy statement of the MDS. A position statement of the assessment group of the University Witten/Herdecke with regard to nursing documentation].

In 2005 the Medical Advisory Service of Social Health Insurance (MDS) in Germany published a policy statement with regard to the nursing process and documentation. According to the intention of the association, this statement should be considered as recommendations which are able to improve nursing practice and to contribute to streamlining of bureaucracy in nursing care. Recognising the broad impact of this publication on nursing institutions, a working group on nursing assessment of the University Witten/Herdecke conducted a critical review of the statement.

[Position statement of the National Nursing Assessment Group of Germany: regarding the basic "nutrition and fluid requirements" policy of the elderly by the MDS (Medical Service of the Central Associations of the Health Insurance Companies), July 2003].

Assessing the nutritional state of old and dependent people demands a distinctive consideration of all aspects which might influence the individual's nutritional habits. An isolated consideration of the body mass index (BMI) does not serve the needs of elderly, because the BMI seems not to be a valid indicator for their nutrtional state. In order to prove the risk of malnutrition, also the individual life conditions as well as social, religious, cultural and economic circumstances besides the amount of energy and nu triments are to be taken into account.