Collective trauma and person-centered practice in nursing homes

Abstract Nursing home staff have experienced multilayered collective trauma. Grief from experiencing numerous resident deaths, perceived threats to their safety, stress from understaffed working conditions, financial stress, and interpersonal conflict within overwhelmed teams may impact practice. COVID-19 precautions and pandemic working conditions may have provided additional barriers to implementing person-centered care. This study (N=379) descriptively analyzes data gathered from the staff of eleven Georgia nursing homes (summer 2021) to assess the perceived impact of COVID-19 on person-centered care practice. Approximately 40% of respondents agreed that 76-100% of resident members in nursing homes were infected with COVID-19. Over 75% of staff agreed that staff experienced anxiety related to COVID 19 precautions, COVID 19 precautions made it difficult for staff to give choice to residents, and the nursing home is more short-staffed. Conversely, more than 75% of staff reported that they were satisfied with their job, they received the appropriate training and support to be successful, nursing home managers treated direct care workers with respect and they were provided with the necessary PPE. Fewer staff (60-65%) reported that there never seemed to be enough time to get everything done, that COVID 19 precautions impacted their relationships with residents, they were provided with resources for emotional support or they received recognition for working through the pandemic. Future research is needed to understand the limiting and promoting factors for person-centered care as staff experience collective trauma.