Effect of Nursing Home Staff Training on Quality of Patient Survival

This study tests the effects of nursing home staff training in care for the dying on the quality of life of terminally ill patients. Ten matched community nursing homes were assigned randomly to experimental (training) or control (no training) conditions. Patients ( N = 306) admitted to the homes were assessed at admission, one month, and three months concerning quality of life as measured by depression, alienation, self-esteem, and locus of control. Satisfaction with care was also measured at one and three months. Patients in trained homes had less depression and greater satisfaction with care than patients in control homes at one and three months. Training effects were similar in all of the five homes. The study shows that a favorable impact on patient care can be achieved when staff in nursing homes are trained to work with dying patients.