Help improve dementia care

Researchers are looking for aged care stakeholders to take part in a project focused on the connection between organisational culture and psychotropic prescribing practices.

A national project is seeking aged care sector input on a tool that assesses facility culture to help reduce psychotropic drug use among residents with dementia.

Psychotropic medications, which include antipsychotics and antidepressants, are often prescribed for aged care residents living with dementia.

The organisational culture of the aged care home can influence the prescribing and use of psychotropic medications for aged care residents living with dementia, said Dr Mouna Sawan, a practising pharmacist and research fellow in medication safety and dementia at the University of Sydney.

In response, Dr Sawan and other researchers have developed and validated the Residents And Culture: Influencing Clinical Excellence tool, known as the PRACTICE tool.

Dr Mouna Sawan (supplied)

“This user-friendly questionnaire is designed to evaluate organisational culture factors within aged care homes that influence the use of psychotropic medications,” Dr Sawan told AAA.

To further validate the tool among a larger number of users, a new study led by Dr Sawan and funded by the Dementia Australia Research Foundation is seeking aged care homes and aged care professionals to use the tool and provide their feedback.

The project aims to generate a validated, user-friendly PRACTICE tool with a scoring algorithm to provide feedback to aged care home stakeholders.

“The feedback will highlight areas of culture that require improvement and tailor strategies to reduce psychotropic medications in residents living with dementia,” said Dr Sawan.

There are two ways to get involved.

Aged care homes can work with Dr Sawan and her team to help recruit staff and healthcare professionals to complete the online PRACTICE tool survey. The research team can provide additional training and education on dementia care and the appropriate use of psychotropic medications. For more information or to participate email Dr Sawan at mouna.sawan@sydney.edu.au.  

Alternatively, aged care home staff involved in medication management, such as managers, medication competent care staff, registered nurses, enrolled nurses, nurse practitioners, general practitioners, pharmacists and specialists, are invited to complete the PRACTICE tool survey online here.

Participants will be reimbursed for their time.

“Participating will help equip aged care homes with tools to tailor strategies and propose their own solutions to reduce psychotropic medication use,” Dr Sawan told AAA.

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Tags: dementia, Dr Mouna Sawan, PRACTICE tool, psychotropics, university of sydney,

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