The NJ SEED project: evaluation of an innovative initiative for ethics training in nursing homes.
OBJECTIVE
This article reports the results of an evaluation of the New Jersey Stein Ethics Education and Development (NJ SEED) project--a statewide initiative to create, organize and educate a statewide network of regional long-term care ethics committees. The main focus of the evaluation was to measure utilization of the committees, describe how facilities have benefited from the project, and identify potential barriers to the use of this resource.


METHODS
Based on administrative records from the NJ SEED project, 225 facilities were identified and asked to complete a facility survey. Ninety-three surveys were received, resulting in a 41% response rate. An additional survey of the regional ethics committees (RECs), as well as several focus groups and individual interviews were conducted to supplement the survey data.


RESULTS
Fifty-eight percent of the facility respondents reported current participation in an NJ regional ethics committee. About one third (30%) of participating facilities had requested a formal case consultation (on at least one occasion) on behalf of a resident, but two thirds had consulted with their RECs on a more informal basis. Facilities that reported participating in the REC Network were more likely to have formally written policies than nonparticipants.


CONCLUSIONS
Many NJ nursing homes find the statewide REC Network to be an important resource; however continued efforts need to be expended for recruiting and training facilities that are not taking full advantage of this important source of peer support and professional expertise.
Weston
Christine M
CM
Department of Health Policy, Thomas Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
O'Brien
Linda A
LA
Goldfarb
Neil I
NI
Roumm
Adam R
AR
Isele
William P
WP
Hirschfeld
Kathryn
K
D003657:Decision Making / Q000941:ethics; D017041:Ethics Committees / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004995:Ethics, Professional / Q000193:education*; D017144:Focus Groups; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009515:New Jersey; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000941:ethics* / Q000458:organization & administration; D016134:Organizational Policy; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation