Fabie Duhamel

The Impact of a Multidisciplinary Information Technology–Supported Program on Blood Pressure Control in Primary Care

Background—Hypertension is a leading mortality risk factor yet inadequately controlled in most affected subjects. Effective programs to address this problem are lacking. We hypothesized that an information technology–supported management program could help improve blood pressure (BP) control. Methods and Results—This randomized controlled trial included 223 primary care hypertensive subjects with mean 24-hour BP >130/80 and daytime BP >135/85 mm Hg measured with ambulatory monitoring (ABPM). Intervention subjects received a BP monitor and access to an information technology–supported adherence and BP monitoring system providing nurses, pharmacists, and physicians with monthly reports. Control subjects received usual care. The mean (±SD) follow-up was 348 (±78) and 349 (±84) days in the intervention and control group, respectively. The primary end point of the change in the mean 24-hour ambulatory BP was consistently greater in intervention subjects for both systolic (−11.9 versus −7.1 mm Hg; P<0.001) and diastolic BP (−6.6 versus −4.5 mm Hg; P=0.007). The proportion of subjects that achieved Canadian Guideline target BP (46.0% versus 28.6%) was also greater in the intervention group (P=0.006). We observed similar BP declines for ABPM and self-recorded home BP suggesting the latter could be an alternative for confirming BP control. The intervention was associated with more physician-driven antihypertensive dose adjustments or changes in agents (P=0.03), more antihypertensive classes at study end (P=0.007), and a trend toward improved adherence measured by prescription refills (P=0.07). Conclusions—This multidisciplinary information technology–supported program that provided feedback to patients and healthcare providers significantly improved blood pressure levels in a primary care setting.

Implementing family nursing: how do we translate knowledge into clinical practice? Part II: The evolution of 20 years of teaching, research, and practice to a Center of Excellence in Family Nursing.

The author’s reflections on knowledge transfer/translation highlight the importance of the circular process between science and practice knowledge, leading to the notion of “knowledge exchange.” She addresses the dilemmas of translating knowledge into clinical practice by describing her academic contributions to knowledge exchange within Family Systems Nursing (FSN). Teaching and research strategies are offered that address the circularity between science and practice knowledge. The evolution of 20 years of teaching, research, and clinical experience has resulted in the recent creation of a Center of Excellence in Family Nursing at the University of Montreal. The three main objectives of the Center uniquely focus on knowledge exchange by providing (a) a training context for skill development for nurses specializing in FSN, (b) a research milieu for knowledge “creation” and knowledge “in action” studies to further advance the practice of FSN, and (c) a family healing setting to support families who experience difficulty coping with health issues.

Perinatal loss and parental grief: the challenge of ambiguity and disenfranchised grief.

Following perinatal loss, a type of ambiguous loss, bereaved couples struggle with and experience distress due to various forms of ambiguity. Moreover, the juxtaposition of their grief with societys minimization often disenfranchises them from traditional grieving processes. The purpose of this study was to explore sources of ambiguity and disenfranchised grief related to perinatal loss. Audio-taped interviews with 13 bereaved couples at 2, 6, and 13 months following the death of their fetus or infant were analyzed. Several categories of ambiguity and disenfranchised grief emerged, pertaining to: (a) the viability of the pregnancy; (b) the physical process of pregnancy loss; (c) making arrangements for the remains; and (d) sharing the news. This study uncovers the many sources of ambiguity and disenfranchised grief that bereaved couples face in interactions with family, friends, society, and healthcare professionals. These insights may inform healthcare professionals in their attempts to ease distress related to perinatal loss.

A Constructivist Evaluation of Family Systems Nursing Interventions with Families Experiencing Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Illness

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Family Systems Nursing interventions using a methodological approach based on Guba and Lincoln’s fourth generation evaluation. The project involved five families in which one member had suffered either a myocardial infarction or a stroke. In this participatory study, family members, patients, nurses, and investigators were considered coresearchers in the research process. Thus, families collaborated with investigators and nurses to develop and evaluate Family Systems Nursing interventions based on the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models. This article presents the research methodology and results that offer practical nursing interventions to help families during the patient’s rehabilitation process.

Integrating the Illness Beliefs Model in Clinical Practice: A Family Systems Nursing Knowledge Utilization Model

To promote the integration of Family Systems Nursing (FSN) in clinical practice, we need to better understand how nurses overcome the challenges of FSN knowledge utilization. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted with 32 practicing female nurses from hospital and community settings who had received FSN intervention training and skill development based on the Illness Beliefs Model and the Calgary Family Assessment and Intervention Models. The participants were interviewed about how they utilized FSN knowledge in their nursing practice. From the data analysis, a FSN Knowledge Utilization Model emerged that involves three major components: (a) nurses’ beliefs in FSN and in their FSN skills, (b) nurses’ knowledge utilization strategies to address the challenges of FSN practice, and (c) FSN positive outcomes. The FSN Knowledge Utilization Model describes a circular, incremental, and iterative process used by nurses to integrate FSN in daily nursing practice. Findings point to a need for re-evaluation of educational and management strategies in clinical settings for advancing the practice of FSN.

Transitioning Care of an Adolescent With Cystic Fibrosis: Development of Systemic Hypothesis Between Parents, Adolescents, and Health Care Professionals

This qualitative study explored the experience of parents and adolescents living with cystic fibrosis prior to the transfer of the adolescent’s care from a pediatric to an adult health care facility. Semistructured interviews were conducted with seven families receiving care from a specialized cystic fibrosis clinic; parents and adolescents were interviewed separately, followed by a group interview with members of a health care team comprising eight professionals from the clinic. Interviews were analyzed through a systemic lens which accounts for interaction and reciprocity in relationships. The parents’ experience was marked by suffering and uncertainty that remained unexpressed to the health care team, even though team members had known the family since the child was first diagnosed. Findings led to identifying a systemic hypothesis that accounted for the interactions and relational processes between parents and the health care team. This hypothesis may guide the development of systemic family nursing interventions that target this complex, relational, transition process.

Families' and nurses' responses to the "One Question Question": reflections for clinical practice, education, and research in family nursing.

The “One Question Question,” first coined by Dr. Lorraine M. Wright in 1989, is an interventive question designed to elicit family members’ most pressing needs or concerns within the context of a therapeutic conversation. In this article, two clinical projects analyzed the responses to this unique interventive question. The first project analyzed the responses of 192 family members experiencing illness who were asked the question in the context of a therapeutic conversation; families focused on their need to deal with the impact of the illness on the family. The second project examined responses of 297 nurses who were asked the question prior to a 1-week Family Systems Nursing training program; nurses wanted to know how to deal with conflictual relationships between families and health care professionals and how to offer families time-efficient interventions. The responses from both groups, which were markedly different, triggered reflections about teaching, research, and practice in family nursing.

Priorities for action to improve cardiovascular preventive care of patients with multimorbid conditions in primary care--a participatory action research project.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in patients with multimorbid conditions is not always optimal in primary care (PC). Interactive collaborative processes involving PC community are recommended to develop new models of care and to successfully reshape clinical practices. OBJECTIVE To identify challenges and priorities for action in PC to improve CVD prevention among patients with multimorbid conditions. METHODS Physicians (n = 6), nurses (n = 6), community pharmacists (n = 6), other health professionals (n = 6), patients (n = 6) and family members (n = 6), decision makers (n = 6) and researchers (n = 6) took part in a 1-day workshop. Using the Chronic Care Model (CCM) as a framework, participants in focus groups and nominal groups identified the challenges and priorities for action. RESULTS Providing appropriate support to lifestyle change in patients and implementing collaborative practices are challenging. Priorities for action relate to three CCM domains: (i) improve the clinical information system by providing computerized tools for interprofessional and interinstitutional communication, (ii) improve the organization of health care and delivery system design by enhancing interprofessional collaboration, especially with nurses and pharmacists, and creating care teams that include a case manager and (iii) improve self-management support by giving patients access to nutritionists, to personalized health care plans including lifestyle recommendations and to other resources (community resources, websites). CONCLUSIONS To optimize CVD prevention, PC actors recommend focussing mainly on three CCM domains. Electronic medical records, collaborative practices and self-management support are perceived as pivotal aspects of successful PC prevention programme. Developing and implementing such models are challenging and will require the mobilization of the whole PC community.

Facilitating Implementation of Interprofessional Collaborative Practices Into Primary Care: A Trilogy of Driving Forces.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Implementing interprofessional collaborative practices in primary care is challenging, and research about its facilitating factors remains scarce. The goal of this participatory action research study was to better understand the driving forces during the early stage of the implementation process of a community‐driven and patient‐focused program in primary care titled “TRANSforming InTerprofessional cardiovascular disease prevention in primary care” (TRANSIT). Eight primary care clinics in Quebec, Canada, agreed to participate by creating and implementing an interprofessional facilitation team (IFT). Sixty‐three participants volunteered to be part of an IFT, and 759 patients agreed to participate. We randomized six clinics into a supported facilitation (“supported”) group, with an external facilitator (EF) and financial incentives for participants. We assigned two clinics to an unsupported facilitation (“unsupported”) group, with no EF or financial incentives. After 3 months, we held one interview for the two EFs. After 6 months, we held eight focus groups with IFT members and another interview with each EF. The analyses revealed three key forces: (1) opportunity for dialogue through the IFT, (2) active role of the EF, and (3) change implementation budgets. Decisionmakers designing implementation plans for interprofessional programs should ensure that these driving forces are activated. Further research should examine how these forces affect interprofessional practices and patient outcomes.

External facilitators and interprofessional facilitation teams: a qualitative study of their roles in supporting practice change

BackgroundFacilitation is a powerful approach to support practice change. The purpose of this study is to better understand the facilitation roles exercised by both external facilitators and interprofessional facilitation teams to foster the implementation of change. Building on Dogherty et al.’s taxonomy of facilitation activities, this study uses an organizational development lens to identify and analyze facilitation roles. It includes a concise definition of what interprofessional facilitation teams actually do, thus expanding our limited knowledge of teams that act as change agents. We also investigate the facilitation dynamics between change actors.MethodsWe carried out a qualitative analysis of a 1-year process of practice change implementation. We studied four family medicine groups, in which we constituted interprofessional facilitation teams. Each team was supported by one external facilitator and included at least one family physician, one case manager nurse, and health professionals located on or off the family medicine group’s site (one pharmacist, plus at least one nutritionist, kinesiologist, or psychologist). We collected our data through focus group interviews with the four teams, individual interviews with the two external facilitators, and case audit documentation. We analyzed both predetermined (as per Dogherty et al., 2012) and emerging facilitation roles, as well as facilitation dynamics.ResultsA non-linear framework of facilitation roles emerged from our data, based on four fields of expertise: change management, project management, meeting management, and group/interpersonal dynamics. We identified 72 facilitation roles, grouped into two categories: “implementation-oriented” and “support-oriented.” Each category was subdivided into themes (n = 6; n = 5) for clearer understanding (e.g., legitimation of change/project, management of effective meetings). Finally, an examination of facilitation dynamics revealed eight relational ties occurring within and/or between groups of actors.ConclusionsFacilitation is an approach used by appointed individuals, which teams can also foster, to build capacity and support practice change. Increased understanding of facilitation roles constitutes an asset in training practitioners such as organizational development experts, consultants, facilitators, and facilitation teams. It also helps decision makers become aware of the multiple roles and dynamics involved and the key competencies needed to recruit facilitators and members of interprofessional facilitation teams.