Nursing assistants: "he seems to be ill" - a reason for nurses to take action: validation of the Early Detection Scale of Infection (EDIS).

ABSTRACT:

Background

Signs and symptoms of infection in frail elderly are atypical, causing delay in diagnosis and treatment. To improve communication between healthcare staff of signs and symptoms of infection we developed an instrument, using qualitative data from observations by nursing assistants when they suspected infection. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of nursing assistants observations by developing and testing the instrument for early detection of infection in elderly nursing home residents.

Methods

The early detection of infection (EDIS) instrument was based on data from focus interviews with nursing assistants. Over one year the nursing assistants used EDIS to document episodes of suspected early signs and symptoms of infection in 204 nursing home reside

SUBMITTER: Tingstrom P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4603967 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature