Role Orientations, Attributions to Nursing Facility Personnel, and Unresolved Complaints of Volunteers in an Ombudsman Program

Abstract

This research linked volunteers' orientations to their work in an ombudsman program, their attributions of support to facility personnel, and unresolved complaints. A significant feature of the research was relating volunteers' attitudes and an objective indicator of their practices. Data were analyzed from volunteers' replies to a mail questionnaire (n = 481) and unresolved complaints coded from records. Advocates differed from mediators and therapeutic supporters with significantly more unresolved complaints and more negative attributions to facility personnel. Attributions to facility staff influenced the magnitude of unresolved complaints only among advocates. Implications for practice are noted.

Key Words:

• Volunteers
• nursing facilities
• ombudsman
• complaints
• role orientation
• advocates