PERSON-CENTRED CARE TRAINING PROGRAM FOR DIRECT CARE STAFF IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58676/sjmas.v4i8.186Keywords:
Quality improvement, Staff training, Direct-care staff, Long-term care, Person-centred careAbstract
Background: Person-centred care (PCC) is an important approach to improving the quality of care provided to older adults in long-term care facilities by recognizing residents’ individual preferences, histories, cultures, routines, and personal needs. This project aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate an evidence-informed PCC training program for certified nursing assistants and personal care aides in a long-term care facility. The program was designed to strengthen staff knowledge, attitudes toward resident-directed care, and confidence in applying PCC principles in everyday practice.
Materials and Methods: An eight-week quality-improvement project was conducted in a long-term care facility. The intervention consisted of two structured, interactive training sessions supported by case studies, practical scenarios, participant workbooks, and facilitated discussions. A needs assessment informed curriculum development. Pre- and post-training surveys consisting of 14 items were used to assess PCC knowledge, attitudes toward resident-directed care, and self-reported confidence. Descriptive statistics were used to compare pre- and post-training scores. Forty-one of 47 eligible direct-care staff completed both training sessions, representing an 87% participation rate.
Results: Post-training findings demonstrated improvement across all three measured domains. Mean PCC knowledge scores increased from 58.4% before training to 81.7% after training, representing a 40.0% relative increase. Mean attitudes toward resident-directed care improved from 3.2 to 4.1, an increase of 28.1%. Self-reported confidence increased from 3.0 to 4.3, representing the greatest relative improvement at 43.3%. Staff feedback also indicated greater awareness of resident preferences and increased confidence in applying person-centred practices.
Conclusion: The eight-week PCC training program was associated with substantial improvements in direct-care staff knowledge, attitudes, and perceived confidence. Interactive, practice-oriented education supported by organizational leadership may provide a feasible approach for strengthening person-centred care practices in long-term care settings. Continued training, orientation for new staff, PCC champions, and follow-up evaluation are recommended to support sustainability.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Aminath Jila Saeed, Dr. Ghassan Salibi, Prof. Nikolaos Tzenios
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