Alarming report on abuse in a hospital: Tools exist to prevent it
Alarming report on abuse in a hospital: Tools exist to prevent it
The daily newspaper La Presse published an article reporting on the Québec Ombudsman’s investigation into l’Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal. This investigation revealed abuse of older people and misuse of chemical and physical restraints. These shortcomings were attributed to various factors, including poor assessment of older people’s behaviours by healthcare staff. For instance, screaming may be a symptom of pain which was not identified.
These problems, which are likely also present in other healthcare institutions, are the subject of research, including at the Research Chair in Nursing Care for Older People and their Families.
Research-based resources are available to help better understand vocal behaviours and screams of older people living with neurocognitive disorders and to improve intervention in this area, thereby avoiding the type of abuse reported in this article.
These resources (training manual, observation grid, list of vocal behaviour meanings and interventions) are available here:
Scientific articles can be consulted:
https://www.chairepersonneagee.umontreal.ca/en/knowledge-transfer/publications/scientific-articles
To gain a better understanding of these behaviours and explore possible solutions to reduce screaming or the disruptiveness it causes, you can listen to the following podcast (in French only): “Mais pourquoi crier”?