A videotape-based training method for improving the detection of depression in residents of long-term care facilities.
OBJECTIVE
This article reviews the effectiveness of a new training program for improving nursing staffs' detection of depression within long-term care facilities. The course was designed to increase recognition of the Minimal Data Set (MDS) Mood Trigger items, to be brief, and to rely on images rather than didactics.


METHODS
This study used a delayed intervention design. Twenty nurses from two facilities participated in all four sessions of the study.


RESULTS
Staff exposed to the intervention (Site 1) improved significantly in their ability to detect mood symptoms in videotaped patients after completing the training course compared with those exposed to the delayed intervention (Site 2). Improvement in detection skills at Site 2 following the training confirmed the intervention's utility. The improvement was demonstrated across levels of staff (licensed and unlicensed). Maintenance of skills was demonstrated at the 4-month follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Staff successfully improved knowledge and skill of MDS mood triggers. This method may lend itself to other MDS domains.
Wood
Stacey
S
Department of Psychology, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs 80933-7150, USA. swood@mail.uccs.edu
Cummings
Jeffrey L
JL
Schnelle
Betha
B
Stephens
Mary
M
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000451:nursing; D006801:Humans; D007318:Inservice Training / Q000379:methods*; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology*; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009735:Nursing Homes; D014743:Videotape Recording