SCOPE
SCOPE (Safer Care for Older Persons (in residential) Environments) was a two-year (2010-2012) pilot project conducted at seven nursing homes in AB (2) and BC (5). The aim was to improve the quality of care for elderly persons in nursing homes and the quality of worklife for the staff who provide this care.
Overview:Almost one-half of Canadians in nursing homes are frail elderly over 80 years of age. Over the past decade there have been increasing efforts to develop and test methods to address quality of care and safety. Quality of worklife in healthcare settings affects both patient and staff outcomes.
Design: The SCOPE study had two parts:
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A 12 month quality improvement initiative where staff teams were supported to make practice changes to improve resident care
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A SCOPE survey that asked healthcare aides about themselves and their work environment before and after the quality improvement initiative.
Timeline: To view click here or Figure 1 on the right.
The SCOPE Learning Collaborative Model is adapted from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement breakthrought series and is composed of the following:
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The Model for Improvement which has two parts, a set of three fundamental questions and the Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle
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The Coaching and Change Management Support: SCOPE staff provided the teams with access to QI and clinical experts, coaching and site visits, feedback reports and online access to data and tool kits.
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The QI teams were composed of four or five staff including two or three healthcare aides and one or more registered professional staff (e.g., physiotherapist)
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Selection of Areas of Care for Improvement was carried out using a three step collaborative approach involving gerontology experts, various stakeholder groups, SCOPE staff and QI teams.
Note: The SCOPE Final Report will be posted in May 2012.