ICCI for Older Patients in A&E
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of a) the lived experience of older people who attend a hospital Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department and b) the ways in which having an Intentional Compassionate Communication Intervention (ICCI) may affect this experience.
IRAS ID
258556
Contact name
Caroline Ellis-Hill
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bournemouth University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
Lay summary of study results: After thematic analysis of the data, phase A of the study revealed the following four main themes: Helplessness, Uncertainty, Unpleasant Sensations and Sense of Safety. These four themes were informed by the following sub-themes: Passive Role, Resignation, "They are too busy for me", Being with the Unknown, Fear of Being Forgotten, Confusion, Unpleasant Waiting, Disappointed Expectations, Negative Reminiscences, Feeling Looked After, Relief and Reassurance.
Summary of Results
After thematic analysis of the data, phase B of the study revealed the following three main themes: Navigating the Unknown, Bringing Together/Connect, A Values-Based Practice. These main themes were in turn informed by the following sub-themes: Discovering as You Go, Trusting One's Felt Sense, Looking, Listening and Thinking Deeper, Embodied Compassion, Connecting Patients and Relatives to a Sense of Safety, Connecting Patients and Staff, Re-connecting Patients and Relatives, Connecting the A&E to other Agencies/ Departments, The Value of Taking/Making it Personal, Advocating for Patients Needs and Rights, Challenging the System and Putting the Person before the Role.The proportion of older people using hospital emergency services is increasing. Older patients often experience the A&E (Accident and Emergency Department) stay as a very stressful experience. In 2016 this has driven the development of a specific Intentional Compassionate Communication Intervention (ICCI) by the Dementia Care Team of a district hospital. The ICCI is used in their A&E to reduce older patient’s anxiety. Using effective communication skills rather than clinical ones –this is what makes the intervention so novel- a member of staff demonstrates compassion and empathy to the older patient relieving their anxieties through talking to them, sharing information with them and reassuring them when in A&E.
Meeting those patients’ psychological needs is important as literature indicates that fear and anxiety are obstacles to healing (Cole-King and Harding 2001) and compassionate care seems to reduce patient anxiety (Gilbert and Procter 2006).
Aims of the project are:1-To explore the lived experience of older patients (65 years and over) who may feel disorientated in the Accident and Emergency department (A&E) of a district hospital;
2- To explore the ways in which the delivery of an Intentional Compassionate Communication Intervention (ICCI) may influence that experience.
Taking on a qualitative methodology (Phenomenology) in-depth interviews will be carried out with 10 to 30 patients who were admitted to the hospital via A&E and within them there will be up to 20 patients who received the ICCI.
We expect the results to give a deep and rich account of the experience of those patients and to show if and how the ICCI influenced their A&E experience.
The study findings are expected to provide new insights into how hospital emergency services can utilise ICCI to make older patients’ care more effective and sustainable, alongside giving patients a better experience.REC name
South Central - Oxford C Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/SC/0046
Date of REC Opinion
5 Feb 2019
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion