McMasterLogo_New-2017-300x165
Back
Evidence Summary

What is an Evidence Summary?

Key messages from scientific research that's ready to be acted on

Got It, Hide this
  • Rating:

Nurse-delivered patient education is a promising but unproven way to improve quality of life for older adults in hospital

Strupeit S, Buss A, Dassen T  Effectiveness of nurse-delivered patient education interventions on quality of life in elders in the hospital: A systematic review  Applied Nursing Research. 32:217-221.

Review question

  • How effective is nurse-delivered patient education in improving quality of life among older adults who are in the hospital?

Background

  • Elderly people who receive treatment in the hospital often experience decreases in quality of life, and suffer as they deal with declines in their physical health. As such, it is recommended that nurses plan and implement interventions that focus on improving quality of life for elderly patients in hospital settings.
  • Nurse-delivered patient education is defined as providing information, counselling and training to patients. It has often been considered as a promising intervention to improve quality of life among elderly hospital patients.
  • This review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-delivered patient education interventions in improving the older adultsÕ quality of life while they are in hospital.

 How the review was done

  • A detailed search of three electronic databases for studies published up to December 2012 was conducted. Studies were included if they focused on education interventions delivered by nurses to hospital inpatients aged 50 or older.
  • A total of 4,653 articles were identified in searches, and four studies were included in the review after assessments for eligibility.
  • The study was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Science.   

What the researchers found

  • The review only identified four studies, and they demonstrated contradictory results.
  • As such, it cannot be said with confidence whether nurse-delivered patient education interventions are effective or not in improving the quality of life among elderly patients in a hospital setting. While one study did show positive results, two studies demonstrated no effect, and one study actually showed that nurse-delivered education had harmful effects.

Conclusion

  • Ultimately, the review found that there was inconclusive evidence supporting the implementation of nurse-delivered patient education with the goal of improving the quality of life for elderly hospital patients.



Related Web Resources

  • Dementia in long-term care

    Canadian Institute for Health Information
    Older adults with dementia may need to move into long-term care homes if they can no longer stay at home. These people have higher risk of getting physically restrained or given antipsychotic medication. Changes to policy and education have made these things happen less often.
  • Patient education: Delirium (Beyond the Basics)

    UpToDate - patient information
    Delirium is the result of brain changes that lead to confusion, lack of focus and memory problems. There is no specific treatment for delirium - it is best to avoid risks, treat underlying illnesses and receive supportive care. Sedatives and physical restraints should be avoided.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, should I or my family member go to live with family or stay in the long-term care or nursing home?

    OHRI
    COVID-19 poses significant health risks for seniors and those with compromised immune systems. For those living in long term care homes and nursing homes, the decision to move back home with friends and family can be difficult to make. It’s important to ensure that you will have proper care if you decide to move out. Use this decision aid to help you consider your options.
DISCLAIMER These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).

Register for free access to all Professional content

Register