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The feasibility and acceptability of training volunteer mealtime assistants to help older acute hospital inpatients: the Southampton Mealtime Assistance Study

The feasibility and acceptability of training volunteer mealtime assistants to help older acute hospital inpatients: the Southampton Mealtime Assistance Study
The feasibility and acceptability of training volunteer mealtime assistants to help older acute hospital inpatients: the Southampton Mealtime Assistance Study

Aims and objectives: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of using trained volunteers as mealtime assistants for older hospital inpatients. Background: Poor nutrition among hospitalised older patients is common in many countries and associated with poor outcomes. Competing time pressures on nursing staff may make it difficult to prioritise mealtime assistance especially on wards where many patients need help. Design: Mixed methods evaluation of the introduction of trained volunteer mealtime assistants on an acute female medicine for older people ward in a teaching hospital in England. Methods: A training programme was developed for volunteers who assisted female inpatients aged 70 years and over on weekday lunchtimes. The feasibility of using volunteers was determined by the proportion recruited, trained, and their activity and retention over one year. The acceptability of the training and of the volunteers' role was obtained through interviews and focus groups with 12 volunteers, nine patients and 17 nursing staff. Results: Fifty-nine potential volunteers were identified: 38 attended a training session, of whom 29 delivered mealtime assistance, including feeding, to 3911 (76%) ward patients during the year (mean duration of assistance 5·5 months). The volunteers were positive about the practical aspects of training and ongoing support provided. They were highly valued by patients and ward staff and have continued to volunteer. Conclusions: Volunteers can be recruited and trained to help acutely unwell older female inpatients at mealtimes, including feeding. This assistance is sustainable and is valued. Relevance to clinical practice: This paper describes a successful method for recruitment, training and retention of volunteer mealtime assistants. It includes a profile of those volunteers who provided the most assistance, details of the training programme and role of the volunteers and could be replicated by nursing staff in other healthcare units.

Hospital, Mealtime assistance, Nurses, Nursing, Nutrition, Older, Volunteer
0962-1067
3240-3249
Roberts, Helen C.
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253
De Wet, Sanet
b435dbaa-495c-4bf7-8e04-18a1d4c97ba0
Porter, Kirsty
465f1b24-e0c7-4cfc-ad42-740e4154957b
Rood, Gemma
31f6c8ec-8b3f-4c42-a05a-d7ebccb8e4fd
Diaper, Norma
a18643e3-0fd4-493a-a235-731680ba5f67
Robison, Judy
b233051a-97f9-4fcb-8508-898520822e24
Pilgrim, Anna L.
77ab2a9e-8b72-455b-99fa-0bb0a645c39f
Elia, Marinos
964bf436-e623-46d6-bc3f-5dd04c9ef4c1
Jackson, Alan A.
c9a12d7c-b4d6-4c92-820e-890a688379ef
Cooper, Cyrus
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Aihie Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Robinson, Sian
ba591c98-4380-456a-be8a-c452f992b69b
Roberts, Helen C.
5ea688b1-ef7a-4173-9da0-26290e18f253
De Wet, Sanet
b435dbaa-495c-4bf7-8e04-18a1d4c97ba0
Porter, Kirsty
465f1b24-e0c7-4cfc-ad42-740e4154957b
Rood, Gemma
31f6c8ec-8b3f-4c42-a05a-d7ebccb8e4fd
Diaper, Norma
a18643e3-0fd4-493a-a235-731680ba5f67
Robison, Judy
b233051a-97f9-4fcb-8508-898520822e24
Pilgrim, Anna L.
77ab2a9e-8b72-455b-99fa-0bb0a645c39f
Elia, Marinos
964bf436-e623-46d6-bc3f-5dd04c9ef4c1
Jackson, Alan A.
c9a12d7c-b4d6-4c92-820e-890a688379ef
Cooper, Cyrus
e05f5612-b493-4273-9b71-9e0ce32bdad6
Aihie Sayer, Avan
fb4c2053-6d51-4fc1-9489-c3cb431b0ffb
Robinson, Sian
ba591c98-4380-456a-be8a-c452f992b69b

Roberts, Helen C., De Wet, Sanet, Porter, Kirsty, Rood, Gemma, Diaper, Norma, Robison, Judy, Pilgrim, Anna L., Elia, Marinos, Jackson, Alan A., Cooper, Cyrus, Aihie Sayer, Avan and Robinson, Sian (2014) The feasibility and acceptability of training volunteer mealtime assistants to help older acute hospital inpatients: the Southampton Mealtime Assistance Study. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 23 (21-22), 3240-3249. (doi:10.1111/jocn.12573).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Aims and objectives: To determine the feasibility and acceptability of using trained volunteers as mealtime assistants for older hospital inpatients. Background: Poor nutrition among hospitalised older patients is common in many countries and associated with poor outcomes. Competing time pressures on nursing staff may make it difficult to prioritise mealtime assistance especially on wards where many patients need help. Design: Mixed methods evaluation of the introduction of trained volunteer mealtime assistants on an acute female medicine for older people ward in a teaching hospital in England. Methods: A training programme was developed for volunteers who assisted female inpatients aged 70 years and over on weekday lunchtimes. The feasibility of using volunteers was determined by the proportion recruited, trained, and their activity and retention over one year. The acceptability of the training and of the volunteers' role was obtained through interviews and focus groups with 12 volunteers, nine patients and 17 nursing staff. Results: Fifty-nine potential volunteers were identified: 38 attended a training session, of whom 29 delivered mealtime assistance, including feeding, to 3911 (76%) ward patients during the year (mean duration of assistance 5·5 months). The volunteers were positive about the practical aspects of training and ongoing support provided. They were highly valued by patients and ward staff and have continued to volunteer. Conclusions: Volunteers can be recruited and trained to help acutely unwell older female inpatients at mealtimes, including feeding. This assistance is sustainable and is valued. Relevance to clinical practice: This paper describes a successful method for recruitment, training and retention of volunteer mealtime assistants. It includes a profile of those volunteers who provided the most assistance, details of the training programme and role of the volunteers and could be replicated by nursing staff in other healthcare units.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 29 January 2014
e-pub ahead of print date: 25 March 2014
Published date: November 2014
Keywords: Hospital, Mealtime assistance, Nurses, Nursing, Nutrition, Older, Volunteer

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 443534
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/443534
ISSN: 0962-1067
PURE UUID: 099856f1-ee71-40a4-bbd0-0fb94637b206
ORCID for Helen C. Roberts: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-5291-1880
ORCID for Anna L. Pilgrim: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-3645-8289
ORCID for Cyrus Cooper: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-3510-0709
ORCID for Sian Robinson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1766-7269

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 28 Aug 2020 16:31
Last modified: 06 Jun 2024 01:41

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Contributors

Author: Sanet De Wet
Author: Kirsty Porter
Author: Gemma Rood
Author: Norma Diaper
Author: Judy Robison
Author: Anna L. Pilgrim ORCID iD
Author: Marinos Elia
Author: Alan A. Jackson
Author: Cyrus Cooper ORCID iD
Author: Avan Aihie Sayer
Author: Sian Robinson ORCID iD

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