Supporting Healthcare Improvement Through Facilitation & Training

Supporting Healthcare Improvement Through Facilitation & Training

SHIFT will support personal care home (PCH) staff to conduct quality improvement (QI) initiatives more purposefully and objectively in their regular care setting in ways that help to sustainably improve the quality of care and/or life of residents.

The SHIFT study will take place at approximately thirteen (13) residential long-term care facilities in Manitoba during a one-year period. These sites will be licensed by the provincial government and provide 24-hours on-site housing and health care services for older adults by professional (nursing) staff, allied health care professionals and unregulated staff.

In consultation with SHIFT research staff, a senior administrator at each facility will be identified to take on the role of Senior Sponsor (e.g. Director of Care, CEO) for the project. Quality improvement (QI) teams will be formed at each site and team formation will also occur in consultation with research staff. QI teams will have 5-6 participants comprised of a Team Sponsor (e.g. Unit Manager) and Team Members (e.g., Care Aides and Allied Staff).

The SHIFT intervention is comprised of three major components that include:

1. PDSA (plan-do-study-act) Facilitation comprised of workshops interspersed with site-specific (i.e., context-sensitive) coaching sessions designed to help team members plan for and ably conduct their PDSA innovations;
2. Readiness for Change Activities designed to help SHIFT team members more purposefully prepare for the intervention (e.g., by selecting PCH units with the appropriate personnel and context to participate in SHIFT, recruiting team members with the appropriate knowledge and social capital to help ensure project success); and,
3. LeaderShift Modules designed to help Team Sponsors more effectively support front-line team members to plan, implement, and evaluate their SHIFT PDSA cycles.

Facility Inclusion Criteria:

• A personal care home (PCH) which provides 24-hour on-site housing and health care services care for older adults by professional (nursing) staff and others.
• Located in Manitoba.
• Licensed by the provincial government.
• 90% of residents aged 65 or over.
• Facility operations conducted in the English language.

Facility Exclusion Criteria:

• Chronic care facilities.
• Transition care facilities.
• Facilities that are expected to undergo major changes during the study intervention (e.g., where a unit is expected to close or the site is expected to undergo major renovations).

Individual Staff Inclusion Criteria:

• have worked on the unit for a minimum of three months.
• have worked at least 6 shifts per month on the unit.
• be able to travel to workshops and participate in relevant SHIFT activities.
• work well with other team members.
• have the respect of staff on the unit.
• be able to communicate effectively with colleagues.