Improving Nursing Home Resident Integrity by Optimizing Interpersonal Communication Skills in Clinical Staff

Abstract

In this article the authors discuss the prevalence of resident abuse and reported violations of care deficiencies and resident maltreatment in nursing homes in the United States. The number of nursing homes in the United States that are cited with abuse violations has increased in recent years. While the authors recognize that treatments (both positive and negative) received by residents are sometimes related to factors other than staff's lack of knowledge and poor attitudes, their purpose in this analysis is to enhance resident integrity through the improvement of staff interpersonal communication skills. In doing so, innovative strategies and specific interpersonal communication theories are examined as educational methods to confront and resolve care deficiencies and elevate and enrich residents' integrity, satisfaction, and outcomes.

Keywords:

• Elderly
• gerontology
• interpersonal communication
• nurses
• nursing homes