NCT01746459

Brief Summary

Currently, the health care that people receive is approximately 20 years behind up-to-date research findings. Developing ways to narrow the gap between evidence and practice is an important research focus in continuing care facilities, especially when one considers that the demand for these facilities is estimated to increase ten-fold in the next 25 years. In Alberta, there are an estimated 27,400 healthcare aides working in the continuing care sector. Developing reminders targeting these care providers will increase the likelihood that the significant resources invested to promote the uptake of research findings will lead to sustained practice change and, ultimately, improved client outcomes. The purpose of the START project (Sustaining Transfers through Affordable Research Translation) is to help bridge this gap between research and practice in supportive living and long-term care facilities by studying the effectiveness of reminder interventions to support the sustainability of a research-based mobility innovation. In particular, the project will evaluate the frequency and intensity of reminders that maintain the daily practice of healthcare aides to carry out a mobility innovation with clients in 24 supportive living and long-term care facilities. We will compare monthly versus every three month reminders, and we will compare paper-based reminders (like a sticker on a chart) and reminders provided by a healthcare aide peer. Using interviews, questionnaires and observations, the START project will also evaluate the processes that inhibit or promote the uptake of the mobility innovation by healthcare aides in their daily practice. In building this bridge between research evidence and practice, we will work closely with stakeholders at all levels of healthcare delivery (e.g. healthcare aides, facility leaders, policy makers and researchers) throughout the study. We expect our collaboration to contribute to sustainable innovations in the continuing care sector and, in particular, to the sustained use of an affordable mobility innovation in supportive living and long-term care settings.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
1,158

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Feb 2013

Typical duration for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

December 6, 2012

Completed
5 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 11, 2012

Completed
2 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

February 1, 2013

Completed
3.2 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

April 1, 2016

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

April 1, 2016

Completed
Last Updated

August 8, 2016

Status Verified

August 1, 2016

Enrollment Period

3.2 years

First QC Date

December 6, 2012

Last Update Submit

August 4, 2016

Conditions

Sustainability of InnovationsKnowledge Translation

Keywords

Sustainability of InnovationsKnowledge TranslationGerontologyMobility

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Healthcare Aide Activity Uptake

    The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of reminders to support the sustainability of a mobility innovation by healthcare aides. Our primary outcome is healthcare aide uptake as operationalized by the number of completed mobility activity occasions. Healthcare aides record on a flowsheet the number of instances that the client completes on each of two occasions on the day shift and on the evening shift (i.e. four occasions per day).

    1 Year

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Client Mobility

    Change from Baseline Mobility at 1 Year

Study Arms (4)

Low Low

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Low Intensity, Low Frequency Reminder System

Other: Paper-Based Reminder System

Low, High

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Low Intensity, High Frequency Reminder System

Other: Paper-Based Reminder System

High, Low

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

High Intensity, Low Frequency Reminder System

Other: Paper-Based Reminder SystemOther: Peer-Based Reminder System

High, High

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

High Intensity, High Frequency Reminder System

Other: Paper-Based Reminder SystemOther: Peer-Based Reminder System

Interventions

Paper-Based Reminder SystemOTHER

Paper-based reminders include: a) affixing stickers to clients' bedroom doors, beside their beds, or in their bathrooms; b) posting signs in prominent locations; and c) placing colored flags on the documentation flowsheets.

High, HighHigh, LowLow LowLow, High
Peer-Based Reminder SystemOTHER

Healthcare aides will provide formal and informal peer reminders about the mobility activity; the formal reminders will take place either monthly or every three months during change of shift meetings, while the informal reminders will be provided as opportunities arise during the work day.

High, HighHigh, Low

Eligibility Criteria

Age65 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsOlder Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Clients will be eligible to participate if they can transfer independently or with the assistance of one person.
  • Healthcare aides will be eligible to participate if they have worked on the unit for a minimum of 3 months, and work at regular intervals (minimum of 6 shifts per month).
  • Licensed Practical Nurses and / or other Facility Leaders will be eligible to participate if they have experienced the peer and paper-based reminders within the last 2 months.

You may not qualify if:

  • Clients who require a mechanical lift, or the assistance of two people to transfer, will be excluded.
  • Healthcare aides who have worked for shorter less than 3 months, or fewer than 6 shifts per month, will be excluded.
  • Licensed Practical Nurses and / or other Facility Leaders will be excluded if they have not had experience with the peer and paper-based reminders within the last 2 months.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Alberta Health Services

Edmonton, Alberta, T5N 4A3, Canada

Location

Related Publications (3)

  • Slaughter SE, Eliasziw M, Ickert C, Jones CA, Estabrooks CA, Wagg AS. Effectiveness of reminders to sustain practice change among direct care providers in residential care facilities: a cluster randomized controlled trial. Implement Sci. 2020 Jul 1;15(1):51. doi: 10.1186/s13012-020-01012-z.

    PMID: 32611451DERIVED

  • Slaughter SE, Jones CA, Eliasziw M, Ickert C, Estabrooks CA, Wagg AS. The Changing Landscape of Continuing Care in Alberta: Staff and Resident Characteristics in Supportive Living and Long-Term Care. Healthc Policy. 2018 Aug;14(1):44-56. doi: 10.12927/hcpol.2018.25549.

    PMID: 30129434DERIVED

  • Slaughter SE, Estabrooks CA, Jones CA, Wagg AS, Eliasziw M. Sustaining Transfers through Affordable Research Translation (START): study protocol to assess knowledge translation interventions in continuing care settings. Trials. 2013 Oct 26;14:355. doi: 10.1186/1745-6215-14-355.

    PMID: 24160483DERIVED

Study Officials

  • Susan Slaughter, PhD

    University of Alberta

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
Intervention Model
FACTORIAL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

December 6, 2012

First Posted

December 11, 2012

Study Start

February 1, 2013

Primary Completion

April 1, 2016

Study Completion

April 1, 2016

Last Updated

August 8, 2016

Record last verified: 2016-08

Locations

CA(1)