Clinicians' experiences of participating in an action research study
Pui Ling (Iris) Li
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Leanne Bashford
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Greg Schwager
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Rhonda Spain
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Helen Ryan
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Melissa Oakman
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Joanne Firth
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Mathew Lockyer
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Debbie Harper
John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Area Health Service, New Lambton NSW
Isabel Higgins
OPAC, Research and Practice Development; Older Person Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Newcastle; Center for Practice Opportunity and Development, John Hunter Hospital, Hunter New England Health, Newcastle NSW
PP: 147 - 156
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to share our experiences of participating in an action research project designed to improve the care of older people at risk of delirium.
The setting for the study and the subject of this paper was a busy medical ward in a 550 bed regional tertiary referral hospital located in New South Wales, Australia. The participants for the project and the authors of this paper include clinical nursing and allied health staff based on the ward at the time of the study.
In the discussion that follows we outline details of the study, participatory action research (PAR), what we were asked to do to participate, our reasons for agreeing to participate, our expectations of the project, the group process, the PAR cycles: look, think and act, and the benefits and challenges of participating in the project. In conclusion we highlight the gains of participating in PAR and we make recommendations for the future.
Keywords
action research; delirium; nursing; older people
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