DeCoDe-H Feasibility
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Improving care in acute hospitals: development and feasibility study of rules- of -thumb to promote comfort and decrease distress (DeCoDe-H Feasibility)
IRAS ID
277172
Contact name
Elizabeth Sampson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106 2020 01 125, UCL Data Protection Numeber
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 28 days
Research summary
People with dementia, who are patients in acute hospitals, may not be able to communicate their needs to staff. They may be uncomfortable or in pain and this can cause distress. Maintaining comfort (physical and psychological) is a key but neglected aspect of good care. We have developed a toolkit of heuristics (Clinical rules-of-thumb) to support staff with maintaining comfort. The rules of thumb are to support acute hospital staff and family carers in identifying discomfort and distress, maximising comfort (and thus wellbeing) for people with dementia who are in an acute hospital. We aim to test the acceptability and feasibility of the toolkit of rules of thumb with hospital staff for 4 months.
Two hospital sites will use the rules of thumb with 45 patients with moderate or severe dementia admitted to hospital. They will use them to identify sources and manage, distress and discomfort. We will collect information about the people with dementia which the staff use the rules of thumb with, including: demographics, pain, sources of discomfort, and symptoms before using the rules of thumb and after. We will collect information on staff about their competency in dementia before they use the rules of thumb and on two occasions after they have used the rules of thumb.Patient and public involvement has informed our study from its initial development. We have worked closely with our expert by experience co-applicant. A core group of family carers from different backgrounds and places will be members of our project management group, involved with project design, analysis and dissemination.
We will ensure our results are in journals/dementia care press and publicized through social media and at conferences. To reach frontline practitioners we will work with NHS Trust dementia leads, Health Education England, Skills for Health, Royal College of Nursing and practice development organisations.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/LO/0503
Date of REC Opinion
17 Apr 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion