Care providers' troubled conscience related to an implementation of a time management system in residential care for older people-a participatory action research study.

Background: Care providers in residential care for older people often refer to time shortage, a problem that may generate troubled conscience.
Aim: The aim of the study was to describe a PAR process to assist care providers in municipal residential care for older people to constructively deal with their troubled conscience related to an implemented time management system.
Method: This intervention study was carried out with 14 care providers and their manager in residential care for older people with the support of participatory action research (PAR). The recorded PAR sessions were transcribed and compiled with inspiration from content analysis.
Ethical Considerations: The participants were given oral and written information and gave their written informed consent.
Findings: The PAR process was found to empower the participants to form their own structure of the practical professional planning, adapted to the residents needs and to their daily work. In this process, participants used their troubled conscience as a driving force and as an asset.
Conclusion: Instead of launching change without any deeper information, it is important to carefully prepare, involve and inform those who are going to execute the change. Meeting places should be arranged wherein care providers have the opportunity to share and reflect on challenging situations that can generate troubled conscience, especially when comprehensive changes in their work are going to be implemented.
(© 2019 Nordic College of Caring Science.)