Preliminary Development of Humanistic Care Indicators for Residents in Nursing Homes: A Delphi Technique

SummaryPurposeThe overwhelming majority of residents among nursing homes are the elderly in Taiwan. Previous studies have shown the dissatisfaction with care from the viewpoints of nursing home residents. For improving the care quality of nursing homes, the study aims to develop humanistic care indicators (HCIs).MethodsThe Delphi technique was used to develop the HCIs through the consensus of 23 experts. Through three rounds of questionnaires, the expert panel reached a consensus.ResultsForty-four HCIs for nursing home were identified and grouped into eight elements: friendly environment, holistic care, empathy, individualization, autonomy, decision-making participation, appropriate use of tools, and serious assessment of customer opinion.ConclusionThis study compiled related literature and conducted a Delphi survey to transform humanistic care from an abstract concept into concrete indicators for evaluation. These findings could serve as a guideline for the care providers in nursing homes. Further studies are needed to test the practicability of HCIs and evaluate the outcomes of applying HCIs in nursing homes.