Promoting a Patient-Centered Understanding of Safety in Acute Mental Health Wards: A User-Centered Design Approach to Develop a Real-Time Digital Monitoring Tool

Background: Acute mental health services report high levels of safety incidents that involve both patients and staff. The potential for patients to be involved in interventions to improve safety within a mental health setting is acknowledged, and there is a need for interventions that proactively seek the patient perspective of safety. Digital technologies may offer opportunities to address this need. Objective: This research sought to design and develop a digital real-time monitoring tool (WardSonar) to collect and collate daily information from patients in acute mental health wards about their perceptions of safety. We present the design and development process and underpinning logic model and programme theory. Methods: The first stage involved a synthesis of the findings from a systematic review and evidence scan, interviews with patients (n=8) and health professionals (n=17), and stakeholder engagement. Cycles of design activities and discussion followed with patients, staff, and stakeholder groups, to design and develop the prototype tool. Results: We drew on patient safety theory and the concepts of contagion and milieu. The data synthesis, design, and development process resulted in three prototype components of the digital monitoring tool (WardSonar): (1) a patient recording interface that asks patients to input their perceptions into a tablet computer, to assess how the ward feels and whether the direction is changing, that is, “getting worse” or “getting better”; (2) a staff dashboard and functionality to interrogate the data at different levels; and (3) a public-facing ward interface. The technology is available as open-source code. Conclusions: Recent patient safety policy and research priorities encourage innovative approaches to measuring and monitoring safety. We developed a digital real-time monitoring tool to collect information from patients in acute mental health wards about perceived safety, to support staff to respond and intervene to changes in the clinical environment more proactively

How to analyse longitudinal data from multiple sources in qualitative health research : the pen portrait analytic technique

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal qualitative research is starting to be used in applied health research, having been popular in social research for several decades. There is potential for a large volume of complex data to be captured, over a span of months or years across several different methods. How to analyse this volume of data - with its inherent complexity - represents a problem for health researchers. There is a previous dearth of methodological literature which describes an appropriate analytic process which can be readily employed. METHODS: We document a worked example of the Pen Portrait analytic process, using the qualitative dataset for which the process was originally developed. RESULTS: Pen Portraits are recommended as a way in which longitudinal health research data can be concentrated into a focused account. The four stages of undertaking a pen portrait are: 1) understand and define what to focus on 2) design a basic structure 3) populate the content 4) interpretation. Instructive commentary and guidance is given throughout with consistent reference to the original study for which Pen Portraits were devised. The Pen Portrait analytic process was developed by the authors, borne out of a need to effectively integrate multiple qualitative methods collected over time. Pen Portraits are intended to be adaptable and flexible, in order to meet the differing analytic needs of qualitative longitudinal health studies. CONCLUSIONS: The Pen Portrait analytic process provides a useful framework to enable researchers to conduct a robust analysis of multiple sources of qualitative data collected over time

Using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to understand adherence to multiple evidence-based indicators in primary care : a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: There are recognised gaps between evidence and practice in general practice, a setting posing particular implementation challenges. We earlier screened clinical guideline recommendations to derive a set of 'high-impact' indicators based upon criteria including potential for significant patient benefit, scope for improved practice and amenability to measurement using routinely collected data. Here, we explore health professionals' perceived determinants of adherence to these indicators, examining the degree to which determinants were indicator-specific or potentially generalisable across indicators. METHODS: We interviewed 60 general practitioners, practice nurses and practice managers in West Yorkshire, the UK, about adherence to four indicators: avoidance of risky prescribing; treatment targets in type 2 diabetes; blood pressure targets in treated hypertension; and anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation. Interview questions drew upon the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). Data were analysed using framework analysis. RESULTS: Professional role and identity and environmental context and resources featured prominently across all indicators whilst the importance of other domains, for example, beliefs about consequences, social influences and knowledge varied across indicators. We identified five meta-themes representing more general organisational and contextual factors common to all indicators. CONCLUSIONS: The TDF helped elicit a wide range of reported determinants of adherence to 'high-impact' indicators in primary care. It was more difficult to pinpoint which determinants, if targeted by an implementation strategy, would maximise change. The meta-themes broadly underline the need to align the design of interventions targeting general practices with higher level supports and broader contextual considerations. However, our findings suggest that it is feasible to develop interventions to promote the uptake of different evidence-based indicators which share common features whilst also including content-specific adaptations

A Daily Diary Approach to the Examination of Chronic Stress, Daily Hassles and Safety Perceptions in Hospital Nursing

Purpose: Stress is a significant concern for individuals and organisations. Few studies have explored stress, burnout and patient safety in hospital nursing on a daily basis at the individual level. This study aimed to examine the effects of chronic stress and daily hassles on safety perceptions, the effect of chronic stress on daily hassles experienced and chronic stress as a potential moderator. Method: Utilising a daily diary design, 83 UK hospital nurses completed three end-of-shift diaries, yielding 324 person days. Hassles, safety perceptions and workplace cognitive failure were measured daily, and a baseline questionnaire included a measure of chronic stress. Hierarchical multivariate linear modelling was used to analyse the data. Results: Higher chronic stress was associated with more daily hassles, poorer perceptions of safety and being less able to practise safely, but not more workplace cognitive failure. Reporting more daily hassles was associated with poorer perceptions of safety, being less able to practise safely and more workplace cognitive failure. Chronic stress did not moderate daily associations. The hassles reported illustrate the wide-ranging hassles nurses experienced. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate, in addition to chronic stress, the importance of daily hassles for nurses’ perceptions of safety and the hassles experienced by hospital nurses on a daily basis. Nurses perceive chronic stress and daily hassles to contribute to their perceptions of safety. Measuring the number of daily hassles experienced could proactively highlight when patient safety threats may arise, and as a result, interventions could usefully focus on the management of daily hassles

Opening the ‘black box’ of patient safety: the impact of the nursing work environment, job and individual characteristics

The nursing work environment is a recognised aspect of complex healthcare delivery where patient safety improvements should be focused (Lin & Liang, 2007). This thesis explored the many factors that come to influence safety perceptions within hospital nursing. The main aims of the work were to 1) understand how work environment factors are associated with safety perceptions, 2) understand how job characteristics are associated with safety perceptions, and 3) explore the role of individual characteristics (e.g., personality) in terms of both direct associations with safety perceptions, but also how work environment and job characteristic associations with safety perceptions might differ dependent upon individual characteristics. A multi-method approach was taken to address these main objectives, and a systematic review of the literature was conducted. Study one used semi-structured interviews to understand patient safety incident contributory factors from the health professional perspective. Studies two and three were then developed based on the systematic review and interview findings. Study two employed a cross-sectional design and gathered data on work environment factors, job characteristics, individual characteristics and safety perceptions in relation to the previous 12 months, and highlighted important associations between these variables. Study three employed a within-person design, in the form of an end of shift daily diary. Nurses were assessed on background individual and job characteristics, and provided information on work environment factors, hassles, mood and safety perceptions over a three-to-five shift period. The data generated was assessed using multilevel modelling techniques, and illustrated associations between daily predictors and safety perceptions, and added further support for the important role of individual characteristics. Specifically, conscientiousness was directly associated with daily safety perceptions, as well as a moderator of daily associations. With regards to job characteristics, support was an important moderator or ―buffer‖ of daily associations. The thesis also considers the implications of the research and avenues for future work, as well as limitations and the challenges of undertaking applied research in such a sensitive area

An exploratory randomised controlled trial using short messaging service to facilitate insulin administration in young adults with type 1 diabetes

This exploratory randomised controlled trial examined the effectiveness of a novel short messaging service intervention underpinned by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) in improving insulin administration in young adults with type 1 diabetes and the role of moderating variables. Those in the intervention condition (N = 8) received one daily text message underpinned by TPB constructs: Attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and intention. Those in the control condition (N = 10) received weekly general health messages. Self-reported insulin administration was the main outcome measure; conscientiousness and consideration of future consequences (CFC) were measured as potential moderators. Analyses of covariance revealed no main effects of condition for morning and afternoon injections but a marginally significant effect for evening injections (p = .08). This main effect was qualified by significant interactions of condition with conscientiousness (p = .001), CFC (p = .007) and a three-way interaction among condition, conscientiousness and CFC (p = .009). Exploration of the interactions indicated the intervention significantly improved evening injection rates only in the low conscientiousness and low CFC groups. This effect was particularly strong among those low in both conscientiousness and CFC. Further investigation is warranted, using more objective measures of insulin adherence in a larger sample

Developing and evaluating packages to support implementation of quality indicators in general practice:the ASPIRE research programme, including two cluster RCTs

Background: Dissemination of clinical guidelines is necessary but seldom sufficient by itself to ensure the reliable uptake of evidence-based practice. There are further challenges in implementing multiple clinical guidelines and clinical practice recommendations in the pressurised environment of general practice. Objectives: We aimed to develop and evaluate an implementation package that could be adapted to support the uptake of a range of clinical guideline recommendations and be sustainably integrated within general practice systems and resources. Over five linked work packages, we developed ‘highimpact’ quality indicators to show where a measurable change in clinical practice can improve patient outcomes (work package 1), analysed adherence to selected indicators (work package 2), developed an adaptable implementation package (work package 3), evaluated the effects and cost-effectiveness of adapted implementation packages targeting four indicators (work package 4) and examined intervention fidelity and mechanisms of action (work package 5). Setting and participants: Health-care professionals and patients from general practices in West Yorkshire, UK. Design: We reviewed recommendations from existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence clinical guidance and used a multistage consensus process, including 11 professionals and patients, to derive a set of ‘high-impact’ evidence-based indicators that could be measured using routinely collected data (work package 1). In 89 general practices that shared data, we found marked variations and scope for improvement in adherence to several indicators (work package 2). Interviews with 60 general practitioners, practice nurses and practice managers explored perceived determinants of adherence to selected indicators and suggested the feasibility of adapting an implementation package to target different indicators (work package 3).We worked with professional and patient panels to develop four adapted implementation packages. These targeted risky prescribing involving non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and antiplatelet drugs, type 2 diabetes control, blood pressure control and anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation. The implementation packages embedded behaviour change techniques within audit and feedback, educational outreach and (for risky prescribing) computerised prompts.We randomised 178 practices to implementation packages targeting either diabetes control or risky prescribing (trial 1), or blood pressure control or anticoagulation (trial 2), or to a further control (non-intervention) group, and undertook economic modelling (work package 4). In trials 1 and 2, practices randomised to the implementation package for one indicator acted as control practices for the other package, and vice versa. A parallel process evaluation included a further eight practices (work package 5). Main outcome measures: Trial primary end points at 11 months comprised achievement of all recommended levels of glycated haemoglobin, blood pressure and cholesterol; risky prescribing levels; achievement of recommended blood pressure; and anticoagulation prescribing. Results: We recruited 178 (73%) out of 243 eligible general practices.We randomised 80 practices to trial 1 (40 per arm) and 64 to trial 2 (32 per arm), with 34 non-intervention controls. The risky prescribing implementation package reduced risky prescribing (odds ratio 0.82, 97.5% confidence interval 0.67 to 0.99; p = 0.017) with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of £2337 per quality-adjusted life-year. The other three packages had no effect on primary end points. The process evaluation suggested that trial outcomes were influenced by losses in fidelity throughout intervention delivery and enactment, and by the nature of the targeted clinical and patient behaviours. Limitations: Our programme was conducted in one geographical area; however, practice and patient population characteristics are otherwise likely to be sufficiently diverse and typical to enhance generalisability to the UK.We used an ‘opt-out’ approach to recruit general practices to the randomised trials. Subsequently, our trial practices may have engaged with the implementation package less than if they had actively volunteered. However, this approach increases confidence in the wider applicability of trial findings as it replicates guideline implementation activities under standard conditions. Conclusions: This pragmatic, rigorous evaluation indicates the value of an implementation package targeting risky prescribing. In broad terms, an adapted ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach did not consistently work, with no improvement for other targeted indicators. Future work: There are challenges in designing ‘one-size-fits-all’ implementation strategies that are sufficiently robust to bring about change in the face of difficult clinical contexts and fidelity losses. We recommend maximising feasibility and ‘stress testing’ prior to rolling out interventions within a definitive evaluation. Our programme has led on to other work, adapting audit and feedback for other priorities and evaluating different ways of delivering feedback to improve patient care. Trial registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN91989345.</p