Experiences of nursing home staff using the targeted interdisciplinary model for evaluation and treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms (TIME) – a qualitative study

ABSTRACT

Background/Aims: Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in dementia pose great challenges for residents and staff in nursing homes. The Targeted Interdisciplinary Model for Evaluation and Treatment of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms (TIME) has recently in a randomized controlled trial demonstrated reductions in NPS. We explored the participating staff's experiences with the model and how it meets the challenges when dealing with the complexity of NPS.

Methods: Three to six months after the end of the intervention, we interviewed 32 of the caregivers, leaders, and physicians participating in the trial, in five focus groups. We used thematic content analysis.

Results: The analysis yielded two main themes: (1) a systematic reflection method enhanced learning at work; (2) the structure of the approach helped staff to cope with NPS in residents with dementia.

Conclusion: TIME shifts the way of learning for the staff from a traditional to a more innovative and reflection-based learning through a process of learning how to learn at work. The staff's experienced increased coping in their approach to complex problems. Our results emphasise the importance of a structured and biopsychosocial approach to NPS in clinical practice. Future research should explore models for integrating situated learning in daily routines in nursing homes.

KEYWORDS:

• Neuropsychiatric symptoms
• agitation
• dementia
• case conference
• psychosocial intervention
• nursing home

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank all the participants and the staff members of the nursing homes for their participation and cooperation in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Innlandet Hospital Trust [grant number 150333].