comfort mitts for patients with dementia in hospitals
TRANSCRIPT
Comforting
patients with
dementia
with comfort mitts
Lillian Hung
Jenifer Tabamo
Alison Lee
Session A6
QF 2017
Disclosures
All supplies and mitts were donated by
staff and community members
No corporate affiliations
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Background Patients with dementia admitted to
hospital may experience anxiety and
distress
An unfamiliar setting can further impair
orientation and worsen behavioural
symptoms
Hospital staff and other patients at risk for
injury
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Setting
Hospitalist Medicine Units – Vancouver
General Hospital
Average patient age: 82years
Admitted with variety of acute and
chronic medical conditions, dementia
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Goals Support patient safety and quality of care
Prevent responsive behaviors and
enhance quality of care experience of
patients with dementia in the acute care
setting
Reduce staff injuries in clinical settings
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Assumptions
Patients would be open to the comfort
mitts project
The mitts would provide comfort and
settle patients
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Effect Patients responded to mitts in variety of
ways:
Talking about them
Memories, improvement ideas, observations
Wearing as a muff
Wearing as a hat – very common!
Covering and distracting from
seatbelts/catheters/IV lines
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Community Engagement Knit City
Presented to group of 20-30 knitters Oct 2016
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Community Engagement
Staff
Break room projects
Donations and knitting
groups
Community
Community knitting groups
Langara Nursing Students
Change Project
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Community Engagement
Social media: Twitter and Facebook
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Lessons Learned
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Challenges
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Acknowledgements
Robert HN Ho Scholar Award
Knit City
Patient and Family Advisors from CEAN
Gail Peake, Willow5
Langara College Nursing Students, Tajveer & Rebecca
Vancouver General Hospital Medicine Program Staff
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Contact Information
Alison Lee, Clinical Nurse Educator
Lillian Hung, Clinical Nurse Specialist
Jenifer Tabamo, Clinical Nurse Specialist
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