Willow research team: Patience Lee, Andy Au-Yeung and Lillian Hung

Putting the P.I.E.C.E.S. together for older adult mental health

Published! New assessment and care planning framework enabled by knowledge translation research

The need for research into Knowledge Translation practices within adult health was recently addressed by a team of VCH staff. The team of older adult mental health team at Willow Pavilion conducted a study on knowledge translation enablers through 2014 to 2015. On July 2nd the team was was honoured to have their work published in the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing.

The research team studied which factors best enabled the adoption of P.I.E.C.E.S., a new assessment and care planning framework, into practice in an older adult tertiary mental health unit. Over the period of study, the team used a knowledge translation process to investigate the enablers of adopting the new framework. Qualitative data was captured through focus groups and interview with staff and leaders.

The study results suggest that there are three key enablers:

  1. Fostering positive energy to make continuous improvement
  2. Working with team members across disciplines at all levels
  3. Using knowledge translation tools to enable and sustain the new practice

With this new research the Willow Team will be better able to adopt new assessment and care planning tools to provide the best in adult mental health care.

The research team would like to thank funding support received by the VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation and the VGH School of Nursing Alumnae Association.

The full research paper can be read in the Journal of Psychosocial Nursing: here