Community Goal Setting and Attainment: Organizational Characteristics and Indicators of Staff Adoption

Abstract

In residential care communities (CCs), implementation strategies can improve the use of person-centered approaches for residents' behavioral symptoms of distress. We examined staff perceptions of how well their organizational goals for achieving person-centered care (PCC) were met following implementation of the strategy, Evidence Integration Triangle for Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Distress. We also identified organizational characteristics and indicators of staff adoption associated with perceived goal attainment. Goal attainment was evaluated by staff using goal attainment scaling (GAS) at the completion of the implementation trial in 26 CCs. Correlations, t tests, and linear regression were used to determine which factors were associated with goal attainment. Total time spent with the research facilitator, stable staff group membership, and presence of a survey deficiency during the study period explained 63% of the variance in goal attainment. Staff can set achievable organizational goals to improve PCC for residents' behavioral symptoms of distress. [ Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 48 (5), 5–12.]