Effects of nursing care planning tools on nurses’ and residents’ quality of life in long-term care facilities: A literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Health-care providers invest substantial resources for nursing care planning (NCP) and documentation. Its effectiveness is varying. In this review nursing care planning tools (NCPT) are considered as a technology supporting the nurses in their daily working life and simultaneously supporting residents in their daily life in the nursing home. The purpose of this literature review is to identify studies verifying the effects of NCPT on user's quality of life (QoL) as a relevant outcome in long-term care. End-users are nurses who work with these tools and residents who are affected directly and indirectly by NCPT.

Methods: A literature review with a peer-review system from 1995 to 2014 of 6 electronic databases (PSYNDEX, WISO-Net, PubMed, CINAHL, GeroLit, Cochrane Library) was performed. In addition, a hand search in scientific journals for nursing was conducted and snowball strategies were used such as screening the reference lists of eligible papers, reviewing grey literature and contacting experts in the field. The screening process follows PRISMA-systematic. Studies with mixed-method designs were included. Methodological quality of records was assessed by criteria of SQUIRE guidelines and ENTREQ and ranked by Evans’ hierarchy of evidence.

Results: Out of 1,190 matches, 205 full-texts were analysed and 6 records has been included. Due to varying methods of these studies no meta-analysis could be conducted and main results were narratively summarized by content analysis. Quality of life as a holistic concept was not found as primary endpoint. But for relevant quality of life related factors, NCPT based on NANDA-I diagnoses and comprehensive nursing diagnoses seem to have desirable effects on QoL.

Conclusions: More user-oriented research with the focus on end-user's quality of life is needed for investigating the effects of nursing care planning tools. Mixed-method designs including qualitative studies should be used for taking into consideration user's perspective and perception.