Comfort Mitts for Patients with Dementia in Hospitals

Comforting

patients with

dementia

with comfort mitts

Lillian Hung

Jenifer Tabamo

Alison Lee

Session A6

QF 2017

Disclosures

All supplies and mitts were donated by

staff and community members

No corporate affiliations

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Background Patients with dementia admitted to

hospital may experience anxiety and

distress

An unfamiliar setting can further impair

orientation and worsen behavioural

symptoms

Hospital staff and other patients at risk for

injury

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Setting

Hospitalist Medicine Units – Vancouver

General Hospital

Average patient age: 82years

Admitted with variety of acute and

chronic medical conditions, dementia

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Goals Support patient safety and quality of care

Prevent responsive behaviors and

enhance quality of care experience of

patients with dementia in the acute care

setting

Reduce staff injuries in clinical settings

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Assumptions

Patients would be open to the comfort

mitts project

The mitts would provide comfort and

settle patients

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Effect Patients responded to mitts in variety of

ways:

Talking about them

Memories, improvement ideas, observations

Wearing as a muff

Wearing as a hat – very common!

Covering and distracting from

seatbelts/catheters/IV lines

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Community Engagement Knit City

Presented to group of 20-30 knitters Oct 2016

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Community Engagement

Staff

Break room projects

Donations and knitting

groups

Community

Community knitting groups

Langara Nursing Students

Change Project

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Community Engagement

Social media: Twitter and Facebook

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Lessons Learned

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Challenges

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Acknowledgements

Robert HN Ho Scholar Award

Knit City

Patient and Family Advisors from CEAN

Gail Peake, Willow5

Langara College Nursing Students, Tajveer & Rebecca

Vancouver General Hospital Medicine Program Staff

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Contact Information

Alison Lee, Clinical Nurse Educator

[email protected]

Lillian Hung, Clinical Nurse Specialist

[email protected]

Jenifer Tabamo, Clinical Nurse Specialist

[email protected]

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