Exploring the determinants of resident satisfaction : participatory action research in extended care
Date
1995
Authors
Rancier, Lois Ethel
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Abstract
The health care institutional system, acute care hospitals and long term care facilities, are increasingly interested in seeking client opinion about planning, implementing, and evaluating services. Most commonly, the hospital client is consulted by attempting to measure satisfaction with some aspect of the intervention or service. In contrast to the acute care sector, few studies of resident satisfaction in long term care settings have been undertaken. Moreover, of the studies that have been done, most have used quantitative methodologies, and none were found to have taken a participatory approach. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore and describe the elements of facility life that contribute to satisfaction for residents of extended care from the perspective of the resident, by undertaking a participatory research approach.
A group of four extended care residents was formed to advise in the planning and implementation phases of the study, provide feedback with regard to the research process and study findings, and share personal experiences of satisfaction related to everyday life at extended care. In addition to the data obtained from the group discussions, five other residents were interviewed individually to learn of their perceptions and experiences of satisfaction with everyday life at extended care.
Data analysis revealed three metathemes: Everyday Life, The Work of Everyday Life, and Elements of Satisfaction. Everyday Life is comprised of those themes which provide the contextual lens through which the residents perceive and experience satisfaction. The Work of Everyday Life describes how residents, in an active way, make sense of their life in extended care and maintain social relations with other residents, staff, and family. Elements of Satisfaction includes the themes identified by the residents as contributing to satisfaction as well as a discussion of the meaning of satisfaction from the perspective of the residents.
The findings of this study emphasize the importance of the interpersonal context of everyday life at extended care and suggest a need to examine the ways in which we view the role of the resident and how those attitudes and beliefs are translated into the caring that takes place. In addition, participatory action research proved to be an innovative and challenging yet beneficial research approach within the extended care setting.