Standing
Graduate (Masters)
Type of Proposal
Oral Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Nursing
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Sheila Boamah
Proposal
Background: In Canada, health care aides are the largest frontline workforce in long-term care (LTC) as they provide the majority of direct care to residents. Care aides are central to resident quality of care and quality of life, although their skill sets have lagged behind resident acuity. Training and education programs that focus on developing transformational leadership skills of LTC staff are essential in building a healthier work environment and are often seen as the key to raising standards. Aim: To assess the learning needs of care aides working in a LTC facility with a goal of developing an inclusive leadership training program that fosters transformational leadership behaviours of staff. Methods: Leadership training was offered to care aides between March 2015 and September 2015. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with eleven care aides during the period in which the program was offered to assess changes in their leadership skills. Data were audiotaped, transcribed and a content analysis was performed. Results: Thematic analysis revealed three areas that supported development: ‘reaction’, ‘learning’, and ‘behavioural’ criteria. Participants rated satisfaction with the leadership training program content and material. Care aides also reported improved communication and expressed increased understanding of transformational leadership skills after attending the training program. The program was associated with a positive work environment including extra effort from staff, work effectiveness, and satisfaction with leadership. Conclusion: Given that care aides provide most of the bedside care in LTC, their empowerment and education is key to providing high-quality care to residents. The findings support the implementation of an inclusive leadership approach to improve knowledge and development of transformational leadership skills among LTC staff. Relevance to Practice: The study represents an important step in the evaluation of care aides’ leadership development. In addition to the themes identified by the care aides, previous training and gaps in knowledge identified could inform the design of future training programs.
Grand Challenges
Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
Harnessing the Potential of Care Aides in Long-Term Care Settings
Background: In Canada, health care aides are the largest frontline workforce in long-term care (LTC) as they provide the majority of direct care to residents. Care aides are central to resident quality of care and quality of life, although their skill sets have lagged behind resident acuity. Training and education programs that focus on developing transformational leadership skills of LTC staff are essential in building a healthier work environment and are often seen as the key to raising standards. Aim: To assess the learning needs of care aides working in a LTC facility with a goal of developing an inclusive leadership training program that fosters transformational leadership behaviours of staff. Methods: Leadership training was offered to care aides between March 2015 and September 2015. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with eleven care aides during the period in which the program was offered to assess changes in their leadership skills. Data were audiotaped, transcribed and a content analysis was performed. Results: Thematic analysis revealed three areas that supported development: ‘reaction’, ‘learning’, and ‘behavioural’ criteria. Participants rated satisfaction with the leadership training program content and material. Care aides also reported improved communication and expressed increased understanding of transformational leadership skills after attending the training program. The program was associated with a positive work environment including extra effort from staff, work effectiveness, and satisfaction with leadership. Conclusion: Given that care aides provide most of the bedside care in LTC, their empowerment and education is key to providing high-quality care to residents. The findings support the implementation of an inclusive leadership approach to improve knowledge and development of transformational leadership skills among LTC staff. Relevance to Practice: The study represents an important step in the evaluation of care aides’ leadership development. In addition to the themes identified by the care aides, previous training and gaps in knowledge identified could inform the design of future training programs.