Factors Predicting Older Patients′ Family Involvement by Nursing Staff in Hospitals: The View of Hospital Nurses in Israel

Abstract

According to the family-centered approach, the involvement of family in the care of hospitalized older patients is a crucial element of quality care. Active involvement of family in care by the nursing staff depends on different factors, including attitudes towards the importance of family in the care and perception of the interactions with the family. This study aims to identify the factors predicting staff behavior of involving the family in the care process. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 179 nursing staff at a hospital, using a self-report questionnaire examining staff attitudes towards the importance of family in care, the perception of the interactions with the family (family behavior, communication and conflicts), and staff behavior toward family involvement. The findings point out the importance that staff attitudes have on their behavior in the active involvement of family in the care of older patients. Staff behavior of family involvement was predicted by their perceptions of the family (as conversational partners and having their own resources), less conflicts with the family, and staff academic education. Staff behavior toward family is influenced by their attitude and staff–family relationships. Educational programs should emphasize the importance of family, as well as dealing with conflicts.

Service Climate and Nurses’ Collaboration with Families of Older Patients in the Care Process during Hospitalization

“…A hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to test the way specific individual and organizational factors affect nurses’ collaborative behavior. Following the first study in this series [ 29 ] (p. 9), the socio-demographic variables entered into the regression in step 1 were age, gender (as a dummy variable), years in the profession and education. Among the socio-demographic variables that were entered in the first step, it was found that only the two education variables were significant predictors of nurses’ collaborative behavior.…”

“…Following the first article in this series [ 29 ] (p. 9), in step 1, education was a significant predictor of nurses’ collaborative behavior ( β = 0.31, p < 0.01 for bachelor’s degree and master’s degree). Further, in step 2, Fam-CP ( β = 0.26, p < 0.01), Fam-B ( β = −0.16, p < 0.05), Fam-OR ( β = 0.33, p < 0.001) and service climate ( β = 0.15, p < 0.05) were significant predictors of nurses’ collaborative behavior.…”

“…This study, which was part of a series of mixed-method studies we conducted among health staff in Israeli public hospitals (see [ 29 ]), has certain limitations that should be taken into account when interpreting the findings and in future explorations in this field. First, the study’s cross-sectional design does not allow interpretation of the direction or causality of the relationships between nurses’ attitudes toward the importance of the family in nursing care (and its four subscales) and their collaboration with the family in the care process.…”

“…This study is one of a series of mixed-method studies we conducted among health staff in Israeli public hospitals during 2022 (see [ 29 ]). A series of studies based on qualitative (phenomenological research approach) and quantitative methodology was conducted and examined the perceptions of nursing staff concerning the presence of family members of elderly patients in hospital wards.…”

“…As in the first article in our series of studies among nurses in the public hospital [ 29 ], demographic and work-related characteristics of the study participants included gender, age, ethnic origin, marital status, religion, degree of religiousness, education, professional position, employment extent, and professional and organizational seniority.…”