The latest news on abuse in nursing homes
The promotion of beneficence and the prevention of mistreatment are major issues for the healthcare system today. This is also part of the mandatory criteria for HAS certification, regardless of the type of healthcare hospital.
At the beginning of 2022, current events were marked by several testimonies denouncing acts of mistreatment in nursing homes.
But what is it really about? Maltreatment can take different forms, as evidenced by the following table (source: WHO):
Several studies appear to show an increase in the prevalence of abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tackling this scourge has become more than necessary.
Historyand definition of abuse
Elder abuse is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person".
However, this problem is not new, as evidenced by the numerous initiatives undertaken and the major areas of work put in place by the WHO (and the HAS in France).
Born in the mid-90s in the early childhood sector, the term "well-treatment" quickly became widespread throughout the medical-social sector in order to address the problem of mistreatment in care.*
Furthermore, the National Agency for the Evaluation of the Quality of Social and Medico-Social Establishments and Services (ANESM), which aims to implement internal and external evaluations and provide recommendations for good professional practices, wished to define this term.
Thus, benevolent care is defined as "a way of being, acting and speaking, mindful of others, responsive to their needs and requests, respectful of their choices and refusals".
This definition addresses the issues of mistreatment within nursing homes (EHPAD), and therefore promoting benevolent care within these hospitals can be beneficial.
According to the French National Authority for Health (Haute Autorité de Santé), promoting good treatment means " reinforcing a model of care and support for people in institutions that focuses on their needs, expectations and preferences. It also means encouraging the involvement of users in their care, by putting them back in the decision-making process that concerns them.
Furthermore, promoting kindness also helps to improve the quality of care, and consequently, to improve the health of residents.
Humanfactorsand bientraitance in EHPAD: a first thanks to the SafeTeam Academy
As part of its drive to improve practices and enhance patient safety through training, the SafeTeam Academy is also developing the culture of good treatment within nursing homes, with the first video-simulation module on good treatment and human factors in nursing homes.
Produced by the SafeTeam Academy, with the support of ANFH Bourgogne and the assistance of recognized experts such as Alice CASAGRANDE, this module develops a culture of good treatment by questioning caregivers about their practices, from organizational issues such as the institution's wake-up and bedtime schedules to meals and water distribution.
It also highlights a scenario for managing behavioral disorders in the elderly while emphasizing respect for the resident's rights and freedoms, listening to them, and addressing their needs, thereby encouraging the reporting and prevention of mistreatment.
Numerous subjects are covered, such as the principle of beneficence, welcoming residents, the behavior to adopt, factors favoring cognitive disorders, the administration of care, and crisis management.
Through this solution, SafeTeam Academy has already been able to help several hospitals such as the EHPAD du Creusot where practices have been improved through awareness of the culture of compassionate care. The e-learning module can be supplemented by a debriefing and facilitation of discussions targeting the improvement of practices.
If you too would like to develop a culture of good treatment within your facilities, choose our Human Factors & Good Treatment module for nursing homes.
