Author(s)

Kaye Ervin, Sharon Moore

Centre for Nursing & Health Studies, Athabasca University, Alberta, Canada.
Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Shepparton, Australia.

Community volunteers were recruited and trained to deliver person-centred care to patients with dementia or delirium in an acute hospital setting, in a small rural Australian hospital. The volunteer program was grounded in action research methodology, and modelled on a previous research project. As a form of evaluation, interviews were conducted with nursing staff eight weeks after implementation of the volunteer program to explore their opinions. Data were analysed through a collaborative process and findings revealed strong benefits from the perspectives of the nursing staff. These benefits included overall improved patient care and improved time management for nursing tasks.

Acute Setting; Dementia; Person-Centred Care; Volunteers

Ervin, K. and Moore, S. (2014) Rural nurses’ perceptions of a volunteer program in an acute setting: Volunteers delivering person-centred care for patients with dementia and delirium. Open Journal of Nursing, 4, 27-33. doi: 10.4236/ojn.2014.41005.