介護老人福祉施設における感染症発生時に看護職者が実践する高齢者への支援

Assistance Provided by Nursing Professionals to Older Adults During Infection Outbreaks in Welfare Facilities for the Elderly Requiring Long-Term Care

要旨

　目的：介護老人福祉施設における感染症発症時に看護職者が実践する高齢者への支援を明らかにする．

　方法：介護老人福祉施設に勤務する看護職者11名に半構成的面接を行い，データを質的帰納的に分析した．

　結果：介護老人福祉施設において看護職者は，前提となる支援として【要介護高齢者の感染対策に伴う機能低下を防ぐ】支援を行い，予防的支援として【医療面から高齢者の感染を予防する】【高齢者と状況を共有し一緒に感染予防に取り組む】支援を，感染症罹患時には【感染した高齢者を孤独にしない】【施設内感染への高齢者の不安に対応する】支援を行っていた．また，看護職者は支援の基盤となる【高齢者にとって安心できる生活を継続する】ための支援を一貫して行っていた．

　結論：研究結果は介護老人福祉施設における高齢者への看護や，高齢者の施設生活の質の維持に寄与することが示唆された．

　Purpose: To identify the assistance provided by nursing professionals to older adults during infection outbreaks in Welfare facilities for the elderly requiring long-term care.

　Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 nursing professionals working in Welfare facilities for the elderly requiring long-term care, and the data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach.

　Results: In Welfare facilities for the elderly requiring long-term care, nursing professionals provided basic assistance by "preventing functional decline of older adults requiring long-term care due to infection control measures" as well as preventive assistance by "preventing infection among older adults from a medical perspective" and "sharing the situation with older adults and working together to prevent infection." When infections occurred, they provided assistance by "ensuring that older adults who contracted an infection did not feel isolated" and by "responding to their anxieties about infection within facilities. " Furthermore, nursing professionals consistently provided basic assistance by "ensuring the continuation of life," which was reassuring for older adults.

　Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that nursing professionals contribute to nursing care for older adults and to maintaining their quality of life in Welfare facilities for the elderly requiring long-term care.