RecruitingNot Applicable

Evaluation of the STEP Intervention for Long-Term Care Residents Facing Hospital Transfer Decisions

Canada200 participantsStarted 2025-10-01

Plain-language summary

This trial will evaluate whether the Supporting Transitions and Empowering Preferences (STEP) toolkit can improve decision-making about hospital transfers in long-term care residents and their substitute decision-makers and enhance decision self-efficacy in nursing staff. The trial will answer the questions: * Does the STEP tool reduce decisional conflict in residents and care partners at the time of transfer decisions? * Does it improve nurse self-efficacy related to hospital transfer decisions? Participants will: * Use the STEP tool during key moments of care planning (admission, care conferences, and acute events) * Complete a short survey measuring their decisional conflict * Be supported by trained nurses who use STEP to guide hospital transfer discussions Researchers will compare data collected before and after the STEP tool is implemented at two long-term care homes to see if it improves shared decision-making related to hospital transfers by reducing decisional conflict.

Who can participate

Age range55 Years

SexALL

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Inclusion Criteria Residents-care partner dyads: * Must be residents of either Perley Health or Bruyère Health Saint-Louis LTC home. * Residents must be 55 years of age or older. * Must be able to communicate in French or English. Both members of the dyad will be included where applicable. For dyads in which residents do not have the capacity to participate, inclusion will occur through the involvement of their substitute decision-maker (e.g., power of attorney for personal care). LTC staff: * Must be a nurse, nurse practitioner, social service worker or physician actively involved in care planning, annual conferences, or managing acute health events at Perley Health or Bruyère Health. * Must have been employed at the LTC home for at least 6 months to ensure familiarity with the care environment and residents. * Must play a role in facilitating discussions, providing clinical input (where applicable), or guiding decision-making processes related to hospital transitions or acute care management. * Must be able to communicate in French or English.

What they're measuring

Decisional Conflict

Timeframe: Administered by Research Assistant 1-6 weeks after a transition decision.

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07153341

SponsorBruyère Health Research Institute.

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-03-04

Contact for this trial

Daniel Kobewka, MD

613-798-5555 DKobewka@toh.ca