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Purpose: The objectives of this study were to develop measures of end-of-life (EOL) care processes in nursing homes and to validate the instrument for measuring them. Design and Methods: A survey of directors of nursing was conducted in 608 eligible nursing homes in New York State. Responses were obtained from 313 (51.5% response rate) facilities. Secondary data on structural characteristics of the nursing homes were obtained from the Online Survey Certification and Reporting System. Exploratory factor analyses and internal consistency reliability analyses were performed. Multivariate regression models with fixed and random effects were estimated. Results: Four EOL process domains were identified--assessment, delivery, communication and coordination of care among providers, and communication with residents and families. The scales measuring these EOL process domains demonstrated acceptable to high internal consistency reliability and face, content, and construct validity. Facilities with more EOL quality assurance or monitoring mechanisms in place and greater emphasis on EOL staff education had better scores on EOL care processes of assessment, communication and coordination among providers, and care delivery. Facilities with better registered nurse and certified nurse aide staffing ratios and those with religious affiliation also scored higher on selected care process measures. Implications: This study offers a new validated tool for measuring EOL care processes in nursing homes. Our findings suggest wide variations in care processes across facilities, which in part may stem from lack of gold standards for EOL practice in nursing homes.

Objective: To examine the association between nursing home (NH) work environment attributes such as teams, consistent assignment and staff cohesion, and the risk of pressure ulcers and incontinence., Data Sources/setting: Minimum dataset for 46,044 residents in 162 facilities in New York State, for June 2006-July 2007, and survey responses from 7,418 workers in the same facilities., Study Design: For each individual and facility, primary and secondary data were linked. Random effects logistic models were used to develop/validate outcome measures. Generalized estimating equation models with robust standard errors and probability weights were employed to examine the association between outcomes and work environment attributes. Key independent variables were staff cohesion, percent staff in daily care teams, and percent staff with consistent assignment. Other facility factors were also included., Principal Findings: Residents in facilities with worse staff cohesion had significantly greater odds of pressure ulcers and incontinence, compared with residents in facilities with better cohesion scores. Residents in facilities with greater penetration of self-managed teams had lower risk of pressure ulcers, but not of incontinence. Prevalence of consistent assignment was not significantly associated with the outcome measures., Conclusions: NH environments and management practices influence residents' health outcomes. These findings provide important lessons for administrators and regulators interested in promoting NH quality improvement., (© Health Research and Educational Trust.)

Background: Significant racial disparities have been reported regarding nursing home residents' use of hospital and hospice care at the end of life (EOL)., Objective: To examine whether the observed racial disparities in EOL care are due to within-facility or across-facility variations., Research Design and Subjects: Cross-sectional study of 49,048 long-term care residents (9.23% black and 90.77% white) in 555 New York State nursing homes who died during 2005-2007. The Minimum Data Set was linked with Medicare inpatient and hospice claims., Measures: In-hospital death determined by inpatient claims and hospice use determined by hospice claims. For each outcome, risk factors were added sequentially to examine their partial effects on the racial differences. Hierarchical models were fit to test whether racial disparities are due to within-facility or across-facility variations., Results: 40.33% of blacks and 24.07% of whites died in hospitals; 11.55% of blacks and 17.39% of whites used hospice. These differences are partially due to disparate use of feeding tubes, do-not-resuscitate and do-not-hospitalize orders. We find no racial disparities in in-hospital death [odds ratio (OR) of race=0.95; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.87-1.04] or hospice use (OR of race=0.90, 95% CI, 0.79-1.02) within same facilities. Living in facilities with 10% more blacks increases the odds of in-hospital death by 22% (OR=1.22, 95% CI, 1.17-1.26) and decreases the odds of hospice use by 15% (OR=0.85, 95% CI, 0.78-0.94)., Conclusions: Differential use of feeding tubes, do-not-resuscitate and do-not-hospitalize orders lead to racial differences in in-hospital death and hospice use. The remaining disparities are primarily due to overall EOL care practices in predominately black facilities, not to differential hospitalization and hospice-referral patterns within facilities.

Objective: Staff communication has been shown to influence overall nursing home (NH) performance. However, no empirical studies have focused specifically on the impact of CNA communication on end-of-life (EOL) care processes. This study examines the relationship between CNA communication and nursing home performance in EOL care processes., Design: Secondary data analysis of 2 NH surveys conducted in 2006-2007., Setting: One hundred seven nursing homes in New York State., Participants: Participants were 2636 CNAs and 107 directors of nursing (DON)., Measurements: The measures of EOL care processes-EOL assessment and care delivery (5-point Likert scale scores)-were obtained from survey responses provided by 107 DONs. The measure of CNA communication was derived from survey responses obtained from 2636 CNAs. Other independent variables included staff education, hospice use intensity, staffing ratio, staff-resident ethnic overlap index, facility religious affiliation, and ownership., Methods: The reliability and validity of the measures of EOL care processes and CNA communication were tested in the current study sample. Multivariate linear regression models with probability weights were used. The analysis was conducted at the facility level., Results: We found better CNA communication to be significantly associated with better EOL assessment (P = .043) and care delivery (P = .098). Two potentially modifiable factors-staff education and hospice use intensity-were associated with NHs' performance in EOL care processes. Facilities with greater ethnic overlap between staff and residents demonstrated better EOL assessment (P = .051) and care delivery scores (P = .029)., Conclusion: Better CNA communication was associated with better performance in EOL care processes. Our findings provide specific insights for NH leaders striving to improve EOL care processes and ultimately the quality of care for dying residents., (Copyright 2010 American Medical Directors Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Work environment attributes--job design, teamwork, and work effectiveness--are thought to influence nursing home (NH) quality of care. However, few studies tested these relationships empirically., Objective: We investigated the relationship between these work environment attributes and quality of care measured by facility-level regulatory deficiencies., Methods: Data on work environment were derived from survey responses obtained (in 2006-2007) from 7418 direct care workers in 162 NHs in New York State. Data on facility deficiencies and characteristics came from the Online Survey, Certification and Reporting database. We fit multivariate linear and logistic regressions, with random effects and probability weights, to models with the following dependent variables: presence/absence of quality of life deficiencies, number of quality of care (QC) deficiencies, and presence/absence of high severity G-L deficiencies (causing actual harm/immediate jeopardy). Key independent variables included work effectiveness (a 5-point Likert scale score); percent staff in daily care teams and primary assignment. The work effectiveness measure has been demonstrated to be psychometrically reliable and valid. Other variables included staffing, size, facility case-mix, and ownership., Results: In support of the proposed hypotheses, we found work effectiveness to be a statistically significant predictor of all 3 measures of deficiencies. Primary assignment of staff to residents was significantly associated with fewer QC and high severity deficiencies. Greater penetration of self-managed teams was associated with fewer QC deficiencies., Discussion: Work environment attributes impact quality of care in NHs. These findings provide important insights for NH administrators and regulators in their efforts to improve quality of care for residents.