Flanders Nursing Home (FLANH) project: Protocol of a multicenter longitudinal observational study on staffing, work environment, rationing of care, and resident and care worker outcomes

Lisa Geyskens, Anja Declercq, Koen Milisen, Johan Flamaing, Mieke Deschodt*, Pieter Heeren, Ellen Vlaeyen, Kris Vanhaecht, Gijs Van Pottelbergh, Lode Godderis, Jeroen Trybou, Jan Hamers, Ramona Backhaus, Franziska Zúñiga, FLANH research consortium

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Background While the demand for high quality of care in nursing homes is rising, it is becoming increasingly difficult to recruit and retain qualified care workers. To date, evidence regarding key organizational factors such as staffing, work environment, and rationing of care, and their relationship with resident and care worker outcomes in nursing homes is still scarce. Therefore, the Flanders Nursing Home (FLANH) project aims to comprehensively examine these relationships in order to contribute to the scientific knowledge base needed for optimal quality of care and workforce planning in nursing homes. Methods FLANH is a multicenter longitudinal observational study in Flemish nursing homes based on survey and registry data that will be collected in 2023 and 2025. Nursing home characteristics and staffing variables will be collected through a management survey, while work environment variables, rationing of care, and care worker characteristics and outcomes will be collected through a care worker survey. Resident characteristics and outcomes will be retrieved from the Belgian Resident Assessment Instrument for long-Term Care Facilities (BelRAI LTCF) database. Multilevel regression analyses will be applied to examine the relationships between staffing variables, work environment variables, and rationing of care and resident and care worker outcomes. Conclusion This study will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the nursing home context and the interrelated factors influencing residents and care workers. The findings will inform the decision-making of nursing home managers and policymakers, and evidence-based strategies to optimize quality of care and workforce planning in nursing homes.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0293624
Number of pages13
JournalPLOS ONE
Volume18
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Oct 2023

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