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The Development of Relationships Between Families and Staff in Long-term Care Facilities: Nurses' Perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

James Gladstone  and
Evelyn Wexler
James Gladstone*
Affiliation:
McMaster University
Evelyn Wexler
Affiliation:
University of Toronto
*
Requests, etc., James Gladstone, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Social Work – KTH319, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M4. e-mail: jwgladstone@aol.com
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the way in which relationships develop between family members and staff working in long-term care facilities. In-depth, qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 registered nurses. Data were analysed inductively using the constant comparative method. Findings showed that RNs perceive their relationships with families to develop in four stages: the “initial greeting,” sizing up,” “making a tentative decision,” and “reaching a final decision”. Several contextual factors were associated with the way in which relationships developed, including structural factors, family recognition of staff efforts, open communication, and professional identity. Findings suggest that relationships can best be understood from an interpretive perspective and that an analysis of family-staff relationships should consider the influence of social power.

Résumé

Cette étude visait l'exploration du développement des relations entre les membres d'une famille et le personnel des établissements de soins de longue durée. Des entrevues en profondeurs ont été menées auprès de 17 infirmières autorisées. On a effectué des analyses inductives des données au moyen de la méthode de comparaison constante. Les résultats démontrent que les infirmières autorisées perçoivent leur relation avec la famille selon un modèle en quatre étapes: la rencontre initiale, l'évaluation, la tentative de décision, la décision finale. Plusieurs facteurs contextuels ont été associés à la façon dont les relations se développent, notamment les facteurs structuraux, la reconnaissance par la famille des efforts du personnel, la communication ouverte et l'identité professionnelle. Les résultats semblent indiquer que les relations sont plus facilement comprises par le biais de l'interprétation et qu'une analyse des relations famille-personnel devrait tenir compte de l'influence du pouvoir social.

Keywords

StagesMeaningsSocial PowerFamilyNursingStadessignificationspouvoir socialfamillesoins infirmiers
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 21 , Issue 2 , Summer/Été 2002 , pp. 217 - 228
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2002

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Footnotes

*James Gladstone gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Alzheimer Society of Canada research grant #95-01

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