Browsing by Author "McGhan, Gwen"

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    Examining End-of-Life Experiences of Family Caregivers for People Living with Dementia During Covid-19: An Interpretive Description Study
    (2021-08) Mithani, Sameer Ashraf; McGhan, Gwen; McCaughey, Deirdre; Venturato, Lorraine
    Family caregivers of people living with dementia (PLWD) are key participants in determining and carrying out end-of-life care for PLWD. In an effort to contain the spread of Covid-19, public health restrictions, such as no visitation in care settings, were enacted which had the potential to severely impede the family caregiver’s role in providing end-of-life care. This study aims to determine the experiences of family caregivers who provided end-of-life care to PLWD during Covid-19. To examine these experiences, the qualitative method of interpretive description was utilized. Family caregivers in Alberta, Canada were invited to participate in an online survey to examine their caregiving experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the option of participating in a follow-up focus group. Sixteen FCGs whose family members with dementia died during the pandemic participated in the survey. A follow-up focus group (n=3) was conducted virtually to further examine how Covid-19 policies impacted their role as a caregiver for the PLWD in long-term care and affected the family caregiver’s ability to grieve. The results of the survey and virtual focus group suggest that a lack of role clarity and inadequate communication channels between the family caregivers and long-term care centers due to Covid-19 increased the strain family caregivers faced during end-of-life care. Participants also expressed frustration regarding their inability to communicate with the PLWD due to public health restrictions. Additionally, participants felt that protocols related to visitation were unclear. At the end of life, public policies, such as reduced or no visitation, led to feelings of chronic grief. Several participants also expressed appreciation for having previously completing advance care planning documentation prior to Covid-19. Family caregivers also felt that the limitation on gatherings negatively impacted their ability to grieve and organize adequate funeral services for the PLWD. Based on these results, policymakers can help ease the increased challenges faced by family caregivers during end-of-life care in future public health emergencies by involving family caregivers of PLWD in the decision-making process. The completion of advance care planning documentation can also ease the burden family caregivers may experience prior to and during end-of-life care.
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    Nurses Experiences, Long-Term Care, and Covid-19
    (2024-10-17) Gruszecki, Holly; McGhan, Gwen; Venturato, Lorraine; McAffrey, Graham; Toohey, Ann; McGhan, Gwen; Venturato, Lorraine
    This master’s thesis explores the experiences of registered and licensed practical nurses working in long-term care both during, and in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic in Alberta, Canada. Using Van Manen’s Phenomenology as a guiding research methodology, semi structured interviews were conducted with registered and licensed practical nurses working in long-term care to explore the experiences of the participants. There were four common themes identified from the data: (1) fear and uncertainty, (2) workload, (3) burnout, and (4) resilience and adaptability. These themes have been explored in comparison to the literature with the intention to provide recommendations for future pandemics and the retention of a robust, healthy, and experienced workforce. As the healthcare landscape in Alberta approaches another period of change and flux with the introduction of a system wide restructure, these findings may relate to on-going change within the sector and the turbulence that nurses experience following change. In the wake of the pandemic, the experiences of nurses who battled through it can inform policy makers to implement policies that leverage the strengths of the long-term care nursing workforce.
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    Optimizing the integration of family caregivers in the delivery of person-centered care: evaluation of an educational program for the healthcare workforce
    (2022-03-18) Parmar, Jasneet K.; L’Heureux, Tanya; Anderson, Sharon; Duggleby, Wendy; Pollard, Cheryl; Poole, Lisa; Charles, Lesley; Sonnenberg, Lyn K.; Leslie, Myles; McGhan, Gwen; Huhn, Arlene; Sereda, Sandy; Marion, Cecilia; Tarnowski, Glenda; Mah, Jennifer; Melenberg, Denise; Weir, Carolyn; Pooler, Charlotte; MacLachlan, Nora; Bremault-Phillips, Suzette; Tian, Peter G. J.; Sacrey, Lori-Ann R.
    Abstract Background While family caregivers provide 70-90% of care for people living in the community and assist with 10-30% of the care in congregate living, most healthcare providers do not meaningfully involve family caregivers as partners in care. Recent research recommends that the healthcare workforce receive competency-based education to identify, assess, support, and partner with family caregivers across the care trajectory. Objective This paper reports a mixed-methods evaluation of a person-centered competency-based education program on Caregiver-Centered Care for the healthcare workforce. Methods This foundational education was designed for all healthcare providers and trainees who work with family caregivers and is offered free online (caregivercare.ca). Healthcare providers from five healthcare settings (primary, acute, home, supportive living, long-term care) and trainees in medicine, nursing, and allied health were recruited via email and social media. We used the Kirkpatrick-Barr health workforce training evaluation framework to evaluate the education program, measuring various healthcare providers’ learner satisfaction with the content (Level 1), pre-post changes in knowledge and confidence when working with family caregivers (Level 2), and changes in behaviors in practice (Level 3). Results Participants were primarily healthcare employees (68.9%) and trainees (21.7%) and represented 5 healthcare settings. Evaluation of the first 161 learners completing the program indicated that on a 5-point Likert scale, the majority were satisfied with the overall quality of the education (Mean(M) = 4.69; SD = .60). Paired T-tests indicated that out of a score of 50, post-education changes in knowledge and confidence to work with family caregivers was significantly higher than pre-education scores (pre M = 38.90, SD = 6.90; post M = 46.60, SD = 4.10; t(150) = − 16.75, p < .0001). Qualitative results derived from open responses echoed the quantitative findings in satisfaction with the education delivery as well as improvements in learners’ knowledge and confidence. Conclusion Health workforce education to provide person-centered care to all family caregivers is an innovative approach to addressing the current inconsistent system of supports for family caregivers. The education program evaluated here was effective at increasing self-reported knowledge and confidence to work with family caregivers.