Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview study

Objective To examine the determinants of deprescribing among health professionals in nursing homes, focusing on knowledge, practice and attitude.Design This was a qualitative study comprising semi-structured face-to-face interviews guided by 10 open-ended questions. Interviews were conducted until d...

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Main Authors: Shaun Wen Huey Lee, Chong-Han Kua, Vivienne SL Mak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2019-10-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e030106.full
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author Shaun Wen Huey Lee
Chong-Han Kua
Vivienne SL Mak
author_facet Shaun Wen Huey Lee
Chong-Han Kua
Vivienne SL Mak
author_sort Shaun Wen Huey Lee
collection DOAJ
description Objective To examine the determinants of deprescribing among health professionals in nursing homes, focusing on knowledge, practice and attitude.Design This was a qualitative study comprising semi-structured face-to-face interviews guided by 10 open-ended questions. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved and no new ideas were formed. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed for themes. To derive themes, we employed directed content analysis of transcript data. Coding was completed using a combination of open, axial and selective coding.Setting Four nursing homes in Singapore.Participants The study involved 17 participants (comprising 4 doctors, 4 pharmacists and 9 nurses).Results Two key themes were identified, enablers and challenges. These were enablers and challenges faced by doctors, pharmacists and nurses towards deprescribing. The identified subthemes for enablers of deprescribing were: (1) awareness of medications that are unnecessary or could be targeted for deprescribing; (2) improving quality of life for patients with limited life expectancy; (3) improving communication between doctors, pharmacists and nurses; (4) systematic deprescribing practice and educational tools and (5) acknowledgement of possible benefits of deprescribing. The identified subthemes for challenges of deprescribing were: (1) symptoms not acknowledged as possibly drug-related; (2) lack of knowledge in patient’s and family members’ preferences; (3) lack of coordination between health professionals in hospitals and nursing homes and (4) limited tools for deprescribing. The development of a local guideline, mentoring nurses, case discussions, better shared decision-making and improving multidisciplinary communication, may help to support the process of deprescribing.Conclusion In conclusion, this study highlighted that deprescribing in the nursing homes is perceived by health professionals to be challenging and future research could assess how routine case studies, mentoring and better multidisciplinary communication could improve deprescribing knowledge and process in the nursing homes.
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spelling doaj-art-e7d18ba5e51e40329b2d5aeddd2de2d52024-12-13T15:50:43ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552019-10-0191010.1136/bmjopen-2019-030106Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview studyShaun Wen Huey Lee0Chong-Han Kua1Vivienne SL Mak2School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia1 School of Pharmacy, Monash University—Malaysia Campus, Bandar Sunway, Malaysia3 Centre for Medicine Use and Safety, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University—Parkville Campus, Parkville, Victoria, AustraliaObjective To examine the determinants of deprescribing among health professionals in nursing homes, focusing on knowledge, practice and attitude.Design This was a qualitative study comprising semi-structured face-to-face interviews guided by 10 open-ended questions. Interviews were conducted until data saturation was achieved and no new ideas were formed. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed for themes. To derive themes, we employed directed content analysis of transcript data. Coding was completed using a combination of open, axial and selective coding.Setting Four nursing homes in Singapore.Participants The study involved 17 participants (comprising 4 doctors, 4 pharmacists and 9 nurses).Results Two key themes were identified, enablers and challenges. These were enablers and challenges faced by doctors, pharmacists and nurses towards deprescribing. The identified subthemes for enablers of deprescribing were: (1) awareness of medications that are unnecessary or could be targeted for deprescribing; (2) improving quality of life for patients with limited life expectancy; (3) improving communication between doctors, pharmacists and nurses; (4) systematic deprescribing practice and educational tools and (5) acknowledgement of possible benefits of deprescribing. The identified subthemes for challenges of deprescribing were: (1) symptoms not acknowledged as possibly drug-related; (2) lack of knowledge in patient’s and family members’ preferences; (3) lack of coordination between health professionals in hospitals and nursing homes and (4) limited tools for deprescribing. The development of a local guideline, mentoring nurses, case discussions, better shared decision-making and improving multidisciplinary communication, may help to support the process of deprescribing.Conclusion In conclusion, this study highlighted that deprescribing in the nursing homes is perceived by health professionals to be challenging and future research could assess how routine case studies, mentoring and better multidisciplinary communication could improve deprescribing knowledge and process in the nursing homes.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e030106.full
spellingShingle Shaun Wen Huey Lee
Chong-Han Kua
Vivienne SL Mak
Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview study
BMJ Open
title Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview study
title_full Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview study
title_fullStr Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview study
title_full_unstemmed Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview study
title_short Perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in Asian nursing homes: a qualitative interview study
title_sort perspectives of health professionals towards deprescribing practice in asian nursing homes a qualitative interview study
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/9/10/e030106.full
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AT vivienneslmak perspectivesofhealthprofessionalstowardsdeprescribingpracticeinasiannursinghomesaqualitativeinterviewstudy