When attempts are made to deprescribe psychotropic drugs to nursing home residents, there must be a clear extrinsic incentive. |
A targeted collaboration, communication, routines, and systematic procedures are mandatory for successful deprescribing. |
A lack of resources and qualifications, concern about symptom relapse, and staff tolerance of the side effects and adverse events associated with the drugs need to be overcome when attempting to deprescribe. |
1 Background
2 Methods
2.1 Search Strategy and Sources
2.2 Study Selection
2.3 Quality Assessment
2.4 Data Extraction and Synthesis of Results
3 Results
3.1 Study Selection
3.2 Study Characteristics
First author with reference | Year of publication | Country (ISO 3) | Study objectives | Study description | No. of participants | Description of participants | Methodology and analysis |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Abrahamson et al. [41] | 2020 | USA | To compare the implementation of a psychotropic medication reduction project across two types of residential long-term care settings | Qualitative evaluation of intervention study In-person and telephone interviews | 62 | 31 project leaders (mostly nurses), nursing assistants, activities directors, administrators, and other personnel from nursing homes and assisted living facilities | Comparative case study approach and consolidated framework for implementation research |
Almutairi et al. [46] | 2018 | GBR | To develop an in-depth explanatory model about inappropriate prescribing of antipsychotics in dementia within care homes | Qualitative interviews | 28 | 5 psychiatrists, 2 geriatricians, 5 general practitioners, 5 care home managers, 7 community psychiatric nurses, 2 primary care pharmacists, 1 memory clinic nurse, and 1 social worker from care homes (defined as nursing homes or residential homes) | Constructivist grounded theory, themes explained using the paradigm model |
Azermai et al. [36] | 2013 | BEL | To investigate the willingness of nurses and general practitioners as well as the barriers to undertake antipsychotic discontinuation | Survey Closed-ended questions | 41 | 28 general practitioners and 13 nurses returned questionnaires answering case-specific questions regarding 113 identified nursing home residents taking long-term antipsychotics | Expert meeting (survey development) Statistical analysis |
Cousins et al. [37] | 2020 | AUS | To identify factors influencing the prescribing of psychotropic medication by general practitioners to nursing home residents with dementia | Survey Closed-ended questions | 177 | General practitioners with nursing home patients under their care | Statistical analysis |
Crystal et al. [42] | 2020 | USA | To assess the impact of state and facility initiatives during a national campaign aimed at encouraging more judicious prescribing of antipsychotics | Qualitative semi-structured interviews | 40 | 30 nursing home staff (primarily Directors of Nursing, activities staff, social services staff, and nursing staff) and 10 prescribing physicians | N/A |
Dhuny et al. [40] | 2020 | IRL | To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and opinions of general practitioners regarding the prescribing of psychoactive drugs in managing behavioral symptoms of dementia | Survey Closed-ended and open-ended questions | 168 | General practitioners, 62.5% of whom had a nursing home commitment | Statistical analysis |
Ellis et al. [39] | 2014 | USA | To examine qualitative data to explore implemented strategies, to assess which strategies are evidence based, and to make recommendations to improve upon practices to reduce antipsychotic use | Survey Closed-ended and open-ended questions | 276 | Nursing home staff members: 109 Directors of Nursing, 95 nursing home administrators, and 65 other titles (counting social workers, managers, nurses, consultants, minimum data set coordinators) | Statistical analysis of closed-ended questions Theme-based content analysis of open-ended questions |
Flesner et al. [35] | 2019 | USA | To share the quality improvement efforts to reduce antipsychotic use in nursing home residents in a federally funded initiative that used full-time advanced practice registered nurses embedded in 16 nursing homes in Missouri | Qualitative evaluation of intervention study One focus group | 11 | Advanced practice registered nurses from nursing homes enrolled in the initiative | Qualitative analysis, not further specified |
Mavrodaris et al. [38] | 2013 | GBR | To investigate antipsychotic prescribing practices and patient review at the primary care level and in care homes | Survey Closed-ended and open-ended questions | 88 | 60 general practitioners and 28 care home staff | Analysis of closed-ended questions N/A Thematic analysis of open-ended questions |
Sawan et al. [44] | 2016 | AUS | To identify key visible components related to the use of psychotropic medicines in nursing homes | Qualitative semi-structured interviews | 40 | 23 on-site and 17 visiting staff from 8 nursing homes (managers, registered nurses, enrolled nurses, nursing assistants, general practitioners, a specialist medical practitioner, and pharmacists) | Thematic analysis |
Sawan et al. [43] | 2017 | AUS | To explore the key dimensions of an organizational climate and their subsequent influence on the use of psychotropic medicines | Qualitative semi-structured interviews | 40 | 23 on-site and 17 visiting staff from 8 nursing homes (managers, registered nurses, enrolled nurses, nursing assistants, general practitioners, a specialist medical practitioner, and pharmacists) | Thematic analysis and Schein’s theory of organizational culture |
Simmons et al. [34] | 2017 | USA | To use qualitative methods to explore nursing home staff perceptions of antipsychotic use and identify both benefits and barriers to reducing inappropriate use from their perspectives | Qualitative focus groups | 29 | Staff from 3 nursing homes: 11 licensed practical nurses, 4 registered nurses, 4 social workers, 2 facility administrators, 2 nurse practitioners, 2 directors of nursing, 3 certified nursing assistants, 1 assistant director of nursing, and 1 mental health intern | N/A |
Smeets et al. [47] | 2014 | NLD | To explore factors that elucidate reasons for psychotropic drug prescription for neuropsychiatric symptoms in nursing home residents with dementia | Qualitative semi-structured interviews | 29 | General practitioners and staff from 12 nursing homes (15 physicians: mostly elderly care physicians, 1 resident in elderly care medicine and 1 medical director, and 14 nurses: 4 registered nurses, 9 certified nurse assistants, and 1 nurse assistant) | Grounded theory |
Walsh et al. [45] | 2018 | IRL | To explore the determinants of appropriate, evidence-based antipsychotic prescribing behaviors for nursing home residents with dementia, with a view to informing future quality improvement efforts and behavioral change interventions | Qualitative semi-structured interviews | 27 | 8 nurses, 5 general practitioners, 5 healthcare assistants, 3 family members, 2 pharmacists, 2 consultant geriatricians, and 2 consultant psychiatrists of old age. All involved in the care of patients with dementia from 4 nursing homes | Framework analysis, themes derived using theoretical domains framework |
3.3 Quality Assessment
3.4 Synthesis of Results
3.4.1 Operationality and Routines
“We need to monitor benzodiazepines, and the medication review (RMMR [residential medication management reviews]) helps that happens every 12 months… if something is dropped off our radar, it’s picked up at another level” [Nursing home 4, manager] [45]
“That is the routine … If we’re just not sure why they're taking it, reduction is going to start [immediately]” [35]
3.4.2 Lack of Resources and Qualifications
“Staff often reported feeling frustrated as the care that should be provided is not being given due to insufficient staff hours, insufficient staff, lack of specialized training; because they only had minimal basic training and because they found it difficult to deal with increased care needs” [Nursing home 8, registered nurse] [44]
“If you can tell someone what the potential complications [of antipsychotics] are, they may be a little bit less likely to ask for them” [general practitioner 1] [46]
3.4.3 Patient-Related Outcomes
“Because you simply are afraid that the same behaviour will come back. And at that moment, you are actually glad someone is doing well. And then you think like, gosh, should you take the risk to stop and see the problems return?” (physician 12) [48]
“There are some families that say, ‘you think it might be too much? Every time I come and visit, he’s just sleeping or is just not into it’. We say to them ‘if you are really concerned, then we will get the doctor to review it again’ [Nursing Home 1, nursing assistant]” [45]
“But I have to say bearing in mind I've been using these drugs in this frail elderly age group, I don't recall any of my patients being on an antipsychotic actually dying from stroke disease. So it's in the books.” (general practitioner-26) [47]
3.4.4 Policies
“I think HIQA [Health Information and Quality Authority] is brilliant … Because I really think they force people to look at their practice, and to challenge their own practice and to change” (HCA1 [healthcare assistant]) [46]
3.4.5 Collaboration
“One of the residents she was on risperidone, she stopped eating, stopped talking, walking, she was just in a mess, and so I spoke to the doctor, and actually I asked him to stop the medication … because (general practitioner from Nursing Home 3) I’m quite close to the doctor. He listens to me” [Nursing Home 3, nursing assistant] [44]